


The Weight of the Crown

by MissWriteress16



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Age Difference, Alex is a princess, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Basically a Princess Diaries fusion with elements of The Crown coming in later on, F/M, Nevis is now a small European island country, Older Man/Younger Woman, She's also Washington's top aide, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 17:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13462608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissWriteress16/pseuds/MissWriteress16
Summary: Alejandra (most people call her Alex) Hamilton considered her life very normal: sure she worked for the President, but beyond the occasional fights she got into with Senators and reporters alike it was still a fairly mundane life.Then her long-lost grandfather showed up and turned her world upside down by revealing her mother was a princess and with the death of her cousin, she is now the Crown Princess of Nevis.Now Alex must deal with the fact there are now a thousand eyes watching her every move, waiting for her to make a mistake and when her feelings for President George Washington begin to shift she becomes conflicted, wondering if she can follow her heart while obeying her duty to her country and her family's legacy.The burden of the crown now rests upon her head and Alex can only hope it doesn't crush her.





	1. A Mysterious Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a story I've actually been wanting to write for a while, though this current form is more recently; originally I had planned for this to be a HamBurr fic with Alex and friends as college students. Then it changed into Whamilton but I had Alex working at a law firm.
> 
> Then I had the image of Alex Hamilton, top aide for President Washington, finding out she was a princess and now the heir to the throne. Add in her slowly realizing her feelings for said President and, well, I couldn't resist.
> 
> Fair warning: I have no experience in politics beyond one class of intro political science and most of my royalty-related knowledge comes from The Crown so there's very likely to be inaccuracies so feel free to point out any mistakes.
> 
> Also, anyone who has read my other Hamilton story may find this one with the Hamilton/Washington relationship difficult to read but I would like to state I imagine the two Alexs to be different people entirely: they had different upbringings which in turn may cause them to have different temperaments; as a result their relationship with Washington is very different.
> 
> With all that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the (admittedly very short) first chapter of The Weight of the Crown!

She was late. She was _never_ late, even if she was sick or dying she would drag herself to work.

But her alarm didn’t go off when it was supposed to, she wasted a few minutes trying to find her keys and traffic was horrible.

Alex Hamilton was pretty irritated by the time she stomped into her office, barely resisting the urge to snap at the security guard who searched her because she’s been working here for the past four years you would _think_ they’d remember her.

Of course, she knows they’re just doing their job, but she’s unfortunately not in the mood for that acknowledgment.

“Hamilton, the President wants to meet us in the Oval Office,” Aaron Burr, the Press Secretary, said as he stood in her doorway.

He raised an eyebrow at her rather messy hair, which in turn made her glare at him. “Don’t say anything Burr.”

To his credit he didn’t, although his smirk seemed to say it all as he turned and left, his footsteps slowly fading away the farther he got.

Alex blew a strand of hair out of her face, pulling the mass of curls into a simple bun so she at least _looked_ professional.

She began her walk towards the Oval Office, nodding at Talmadge and Brewster, who had been working the President’s security detail since he had been a senator, before entering the office.

“Sir,”

President George Washington turned away from the conversation he was having with Angelica Schuyler, who was his Chief of Staff, and smiled warmly at Alex.

“Alex, it’s good to see you,” he paused, taking in her rather undone appearance which made her fidget nervously as she blushed.

He didn’t say anything, though, just turned to Burr and asked, “What’s on the agenda?”

Burr began speaking, talking about an oil crisis in the Middle East along with a visit to an elementary school on Friday plus a dinner Washington had to attend.

“Oh, also Crown Prince Juan of Nevis died yesterday.”

Washington furrowed his eyebrows. “Has the cause of death been released?”

Burr nodded and read off the paper in front of him, “It is said that the Crown Prince was involved in a car accident and died on impact.”

Washington placed his hands under his chin, thinking for a moment before he replied, “Craft a statement that says I offer my condolences to King Nicolás for the loss of his grandson and my thoughts and prayers are with him.”

“I can do that sir,” Burr replied, turning quickly on his heel. Washington noticed his aide staring at the spot where his press secretary had been, her forehead wrinkled in concentration like when she was thinking particularly hard about something.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Washington’s teasing tone cut through Alex’s thoughts, causing her to turn and look at the man who wore an amused expression on his face.

She flushed. “I was just thinking that the King’s son died a few years ago, didn’t he?”

Washington nodded, folding his hands in front of him. “Yes, from a heart attack.”

He watched the woman bite her lip before asking in a soft tone, “Who’s going to be his heir now?”

Washington paused, having to think for a few moments in order to answer Alex’s question.

Nevis was a small European island country off the coasts of Spain and Portugal; both countries had occupied it at different times before Nevis eventually earned its independence.

The country had managed to stay out of both world wars, likely due to it being an island, and had a low illiteracy rate, low unemployment rate, low crime rate and was generally a very wealthy country.

However, there had been wide speculation that there was a conflict between the royal family and the nobility, due to the fact many of them were also in line for the throne but were unable to inherit it as long as the King had living heirs.

Now, it seemed, they would have the opportunity to take it.

“From what I understand, the King has many distant relatives who could serve as his heir,” Washington finally replied and Alex nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

The two of them stared at each other for a few minutes before a knock at the door made the President drag his gaze away as he called out, “Come in!”

The doors opened to reveal Talmadge. “Forgive me Mr. President for the disturbance, but there is a visitor.”

Washington nodded, beginning to stand when he was stopped by Talmadge explaining, “Sorry Sir, but the visitor is requesting to speak to Miss Hamilton.”

Alex blinked in confusion. “Me?” She questioned. “This person wants to speak to me, not the President?”

Talmadge nodded, his expression not giving any of his thoughts away. “Yes Miss,”

“Well,”

Washington began, already making his way to the door. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting, should we?”

Alex only pauses for a moment before hurrying to follow the President, his bodyguards not far behind as she managed to keep pace with the man, which was difficult given his long strides.

“Do you know who this visitor could be?”

She blinked before realizing that Washington had asked her a question. “No,” she responded, shaking her head.

Eventually they ended up in the lobby of the White House, where a woman with dark curls and slightly tanned skin dressed in a red business suit was waiting.

The woman turned as they approached and gave them a soft smile.

“Miss Hamilton,” Her gaze drifted over Washington, “Mr. President, I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

Washington gave her a tight smile as he shook her offered hand. “I consider it my business to meet who is visiting my employees,”

Alex couldn’t help but flush slightly at this, even though she knew he would do it for any of his employees: that was the thing about the President, he cared about every one of his employees.

The woman nodded, clearing her throat. “Yes, well, I am Maria Lewis and I am here to speak to Miss Hamilton on behalf of her grandfather,”

“Her grandfather?”

“My grandfather?”

Washington and Alex said at the same time, causing Maria to raise an eyebrow. Washington awkwardly cleared his throat while Alex turned even redder as she replied, “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a grandfather.”

Maria smiled. “Actually, you do, he’s your mother’s father.”

The young aide felt herself go numb at this: her mother’s father? Her mother never mentioned her parents so she always assumed they were dead.

If her grandfather wasn’t dead, then why the hell didn’t he take her in after her mother died? Why did he leave her in foster care, did he not want her or—

Her internal rant was cut off by a firm yet comforting hand on her shoulder. She blinked, seeing Maria giving her a soft, almost compassionate look.

“I understand this is a lot to take in: your grandfather would like to give you an explanation,”

She then handed Alex a card, which she took and saw was a card for the Washington Marriot Wardman Park Hotel—one of the more expensive hotels in the city.

“He would like to see you as soon as you can,” Maria glanced over her shoulder at the imposing former general staring her down before adding, “alone.”

“I…will see what I can do,” Alex replied.

Maria’s mouth twitched as she nodded, sparing a glance for Washington before turning to leave, her heels clicking on the floor.

Alex watched her leave before returning her gaze to the card she was holding. Despite it’s small size, it carried so much power.

She heard someone come up behind her. “Are you going to go?”

Washington asked quietly, staring at the card his aide held in her hand. Said woman let out a heavy sigh, biting her lip.

“I don’t—I mean, why now, after so many years?”

Alex sounded bewildered and he couldn’t blame her; admittedly he didn’t know everything about his young aide’s past—even Angelica, whom he’d known since she was a child, was tight-lipped on the subject—but he knew her mother died when she was young and her father left.

She didn’t say what happened to her after that but he could hazard a guess.

There was, after all, only one place where children without any living relatives went.

He was well aware of the state of foster care—had tried his best to improve it even—and he knew that for a young girl like Alex, an incredibly intelligent and passionate person, it wouldn’t be welcoming.

So, he understood why she wouldn’t want to meet the man who could have saved her from such a life, but at the same time he felt that meeting this man could give her the answers he wanted and that was something he wanted her to have.

With this in mind he gave her a reassuring smile as he replied, “Perhaps he wants to finally form a relationship with you,” he grinned, “I can see why, after all, you are quite remarkable.”

Alex flushed at the praise, her lips turning up in a soft smile as she glanced at the card again. She took a deep breath before turning to the expectant looking man.

“Mr. President, may I have my lunch break?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is kind of short compared to my other first chapters, but the original draft I decided could be split into two chapters. 
> 
> This means, of course, that I have another chapter that I can post after this one if I wanted to (which I might do given the shortness).
> 
> On a different subject entirely, Alex in this story didn't get adopted. _However _she met the Schuyler sisters in college and spent a lot of time at their house to the point she's considered the "fourth" Schuyler sister.__
> 
>  
> 
> __  
> _Another interesting fact that Philip Schuyler-who is a Senator-served in the military with Washington and the two became senators around the same time which adds another level of complications to Alex and Washington's eventual relationship given that Philip thinks of Alex as another daughter._  
> 


	2. Her Royal Highness?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex meets with her grandfather and is confronted with a secret she never expected.
> 
> Or Alex learns she's a princess and is questioning who she wronged in a previous life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Given that I already had this chapter written I decided there was no point in waiting,
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy!

“Thank you, Luke,”

Alex said to Washington’s driver, whom he had insisted on taking her to the hotel. “This might take me a while, so feel free to go get a coffee.”

The man nodded, tilting his hat to her before driving off. Alex took a deep breath before she turned, looking up at the imposing building with a sense of dread.

She shook her head and straightened her shoulders as she walked into the lobby and headed straight to the front desk.

“Hello, I’m here to speak to my grandfather,” Alex began as the woman running the front desk looked up with a bright smile on her face and asked, “Alejandra, right?”

Alex blinked in confusion. “It’s Alex, actually.”

Her mother had been the only one to call her that and when she died, well, that name died with her so to hear it be used was…odd.

“We’ve been expecting you,” The woman chirped, sounding rather bubbly. “Room 804.”

Alex thanked the woman and quickly hurried to the elevator, pressing the button. Her nerves seemed to return when she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the eighth floor.

She watched the floor numbers go by, her mind whirling with the fact that this man—her grandfather—knew her full name.

Maybe it was a family name, perhaps her grandmother’s or—

Her thought process was cut off by a ding and the elevator doors opening. She stepped out, walking down the hall and taking note of the room numbers before she ended up at the doors leading to her grandfather’s room.

She paused when she saw two people, one woman and one man, dressed in black suits with glasses and earpieces standing in front of the double doors.

Working for the President meant that she knew instantly these people were high-end security and didn’t that just add a million more questions for her to ask?

Alex took a small step towards them and the man spoke, “Alejandra Hamilton?”

“ _Alex_ Hamilton,” she stressed the first part, feeling slightly irritated. The man nodded to his partner and the two opened the doors.

“Go on Alex,” The woman said with a slight smile. “Your grandfather is waiting.”

Thanking the two she hurried into the room, stopping in the middle and slowly turning around to take in the whole room as the doors closed behind her.

It would appear her grandfather was staying in the penthouse suite: there was a small seating area set up where an older gentleman sat, a dining table where she saw Maria on her laptop and a kitchen as well as two doors that she assumed led to the bedrooms.

There was also more security roaming around the room, keeping a careful watch on everything.

The older man looked up, a wide smile forming on his face as he hurriedly stood up.

“Alejandra,”

He said, walking towards her. “Let me look at you.”

Alex froze, unsure how to react to this unknown man coming towards her: he had dark hair with streaks of grey slicked back with a matching thick beard, he spoke with a slight accent that she couldn’t identify and he was dressed in a rather nice suit.

But what struck her the most were his eyes, the same eyes that she remembered her mother having and that she saw anytime she looked in a mirror.

The man—her grandfather—stopped a few feet away from her, seemingly understanding her own discomfort and unsure of how to proceed.

He held out his hand, as if wanting to touch her, but instead let it fall to the side as he kept a gentle smile on his face.

“Why don’t we have a seat?”

Alex nodded, slowly walking over to the sitting area and taking a spot on the couch while the man claimed the armchair.

A tray of tea was suddenly placed in front of her and her gaze shifted to Maria who was already leaving. Her companion reached out for a cup, glancing at her and asking, “Would you like one?”

“N-No, I’m fine,” she replied in a shaky voice. “Thank you.”

The two sat in an awkward silence, the only sounds being the typing of a keyboard and him sipping his drink.

Eventually, he placed the cup down, folding his hands in front of him as he began to speak, “I suppose I should introduce myself?”

“That would be nice.”

Alex replied and he nodded, clearing his throat as he stated in a serious tone, “I am Nicolás Sebastián Fernando Carlos Faucette, King of Nevis.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Alex questioned her disbelief showing in her tone. “This is a joke, right?”

Nicolás shook his head, appearing rather calm even as Alex began internally freaking out. “Raquel was my only daughter, she was the joy of my life.”

Here he smiled wistfully, leaning back in his chair as he continued, “When she turned eighteen she wanted to go to university, dreamed of being a doctor or a teacher, she wanted to do something good.”

“At university, she met your father, James Hamilton,” Nicolás said, and from the way he said her father’s name Alex got the impression he wasn’t his biggest fan, “And shortly after, she became pregnant with you.”

Alex swallowed hard, unsure how to respond to this.

Nicolás chuckled, a twinkle in his eyes as he stated, “When she called to tell me she was so happy yet also scared of my reaction.”

His expression seemed to shift as he turned to stare out the window, seemingly lost in the past. “She gave birth to you here, despite my wishes to have her back home, but she did take you to visit shortly afterwards.”

Alex watched as he reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper and sliding it across to her.

She picked it up, unfolded it, and held her breath when she saw it was a photo of her—just a baby—and her mother standing on a beach.

Her mother was so beautiful, with a wide smile and her eyes twinkling as she looked down at her.

“You look just like her, you know,” Alex looked up at Nicolás’s smiling face. “You’re the spitting image of her.”

Alex laughed softly, feeling her throat close with emotion as she handed the picture back to him. “Thank you, I…I’ve never heard that before.”

Nicolás reached over to take her hand, squeezing it tightly before pulling back with a cough.

“Shortly after your mother returned with you, however, your father left,” Nicolás’s expression hardened as he said this, his tone showing his distaste for the man’s actions. “Your mother was heartbroken; I truly believe she loved him with all her heart and his abandonment broke her.”

“More than that, I believe she was embarrassed and humiliated.”

Alex felt bitterness rise in her throat as he said this, she had always hated her father for what he did to her and her mother and now—hearing from another source about her mother’s pain—only increased her anger towards him.

“Why didn’t we come live with you?”

Nicolás chuckled softly, his expression becoming more saddened as he replied softly, “Because your mother felt ashamed: I, as well as her brother, had cautioned her against becoming involved with your father—he had a reputation you see—but she defended him fiercely.”

“Now that same man who she insisted loved her had left her with a newborn daughter: she likely feared I was disappointed in her.”

“And were you?” Alex asked quietly. Nicolás shook her head. “Not for a second, it was him I blamed, not her.”

The King of Nevis let out a heavy sigh, looking his age as he ran a tired hand down his face. “I tried to contact her, to make her understand that I loved her and wanted you and her to come back home but she managed to successfully avoid every call and letter I sent.”

“Then she died,” he said, the hurt clear in his tone, “and I tried to gain custody of you but you were technically an American citizen and Raquel never told anyone who she was so…”

“You didn’t have any claim to me,” Alex stated and Nicolás nodded, a small smile on his face as he continued, “I did keep an eye on you though, I followed all your accomplishments over the years.”

“Really?”

She asked, surprised and a little touched. Nicolás smiled brightly. “Yes, when I heard you got full scholarships to almost every Ivy League school I was so pleased that I did a little dance.”

At Alex’s disbelieving look he laughed. “Ask Maria if you don’t believe me.”

Slowly, hesitantly Alex turned to the woman who looked up from her laptop for the first time since the conversation and replied in a dry tone, “He did.”

Alex turned back to her grandfather who continued, “And when I learned that you had become an aide for Senator Washington—who’s a fine man by the way—I was so proud.”

Alex swallowed, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill over: of course, Phillip and Catherine had expressed their joy when they had learned the same news—to say nothing of the reactions of her friends—but to hear it from her grandfather, her mother’s father, was another thing entirely.

 It was a feeling that she couldn’t describe, something warm and fuzzy that enveloped her entire being…love, maybe.

Alex cleared her throat, straightening her spine as she stared at her grandfather and asked, “That’s all very nice to hear, but there’s still one question you haven’t answered.”

Nicolás nodded, gesturing for her to ask. Alex took a deep breath, staring intently at him as she asked in a soft voice,

“Why are you here?”

She watched as he sighed, running a hand through his beard before giving her a serious, almost apologetic look. “As I’m sure you’re aware, given your work for the President, my heir Juan—your cousin, by the way—has recently died,”

Alex felt her heartbeat increase as dread and realization swam over her while she put everything together: her mother had been a princess; her grandfather was a king and now her cousin was dead which meant—

“The reason I asked to meet with you was to inform you that you are now Her Royal Highness Alejandra Raquel Faucette, Crown Princess of Nevis and, as of now, my only living heir.”

Suddenly being late for work didn’t seem so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Nevis is now a European country: it's an island roughly the size of Japan off the coasts of Spain and Portugal who have both occupied it at various times throughout history (at one point the island was divided into half with a Spanish and Portuguese side) until it declared its independence. 
> 
> Its official languages are Spanish and Portuguese, however, given its proximity to England and France English and French are considered minority languages.
> 
> On another subject Nicolas is an original character because I could not think of any character to use in his place.
> 
> Now that's done, I hope to post the next chapter as soon as I can!


	3. No Longer Just an Aide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex reacts about as well as you would expect someone to react when they find out they're the only living heir to an entire country
> 
> Or Alex freaks out but eventually calms down and faces her new role as she does everything: without stopping

Alex—no, she was _Alejandra_ now—left the room.

To be more accurate, she _fled_.

She stood up on shaky knees, her heart pounding in her ears as she ran out of the room like the dogs of war were after her ignoring everyone around her while she made her way to the elevator.

There was buzzing in her ears when she entered the elevator, her breath becoming shorter and shorter as she watched the floor numbers go down.

She stared at her hands, which she now saw were shaking because she’s a _princess_ of all things and she was in line for a throne and—

The sound of the elevator made her stop her internal ramble, the doors sliding open to reveal the lobby which was more packed than when she arrived.

Alex stepped out nervously, glancing around as if she expected someone to point at her and exclaim _look there’s the Crown Princess of Nevis, I wonder if she’s going to fail?_

It had apparently started raining at some point as when she stepped outside she walked straight into a torrential downpour.

Her coat wasn’t particularly warm and she hadn’t brought an umbrella so she wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she made a dash for the car which, thankfully, was parked outside.

She didn’t even wait for Lucas to open the door, just opened it herself and sat down, thankful for the fact the heat was on.

“Miss Hamilton, are you alright?” Lucas questioned, looking at her in the mirror.

Alex bit her lip, what exactly could she say? _No, in fact, I just found out that I’m the long-lost princess to_ _a small European country and am also the only living heir to said country_.

Even if Lucas _didn’t_ think her insane, he would look at her differently—as would everyone else if they found out and didn’t _that_ scare her—so she gave him what she hoped was a convincing smile.

“I’m fine Lucas, thank you.”

He gave her a look in the rear-view mirror but, to his credit, didn’t say anything as he began driving towards the White House.

She let out a heavy sigh, turning to look out the window as raindrops battered the window. Her life would no longer be the same, she realized.

She was now the heir apparent to Nevis, she would be Queen one day—though hopefully not anytime soon—and was no longer simply Alex Hamilton.

No, she was Alejandra Raquel Faucette the Crown Princess of Nevis.

Her mind instantly went to the three women she considered her sisters, god how would _they_ react to this? And the president—

The President…oh god, she could no longer work for him because she was fairly certain that future sovereigns couldn’t work under the leader of another country.

She felt a sharp pain in her chest because she loved her job, sure it had its moments—namely dealing with Senator Jefferson wasn’t a picnic—but she still didn’t want to give it up.

But now she had no choice in the matter; she no longer had _any_ choices when it came to her future.

Alex was so distracted by these revelations that she didn’t realize they had arrived at the White House until she heard a throat clearing.

Cheeks turning a bright red she turned to see Lucas holding the door open for her with furrowed eyebrows as he asked, “Are you sure you’re okay Miss?”

Alex nodded as she hurried to get out of the car, giving him a big smile. “Yes, I was just lost in my thoughts.”

She thanked him before walking at a brisk pace, saying a quick hello to her two friends John Laurens and Gilbert Lafayette (his name was far too long for her to say)—who were both speechwriters—before making her way to her office.

When Alex enters her office, however, the intense feeling of loss that had been plaguing her since she learned of her new role increased.

It would no longer be her office, she realized as she walked around the admittedly small room, it would be someone else’s.

Everything that made it hers—all the knick-knacks she had put on her desk and bookshelves, the pictures of herself with her friends and her mother, the papers that littered her desk…all that would be gone

Someone else would be the one to bring coffee to Washington when he needed it, someone else would stay up with him on those late nights and have to tell him to relax when he’s overworked himself…

Someone else would take over her role in the President’s life.

The feeling in her chest is something she can’t explain, it makes it hard for her to breathe and she wishes she knew what the _hell_ it was—

“Alex?”

Blinking back tears—when had _that_ happened?—she turned to see Angelica staring at her with a concerned expression.

“Ah, sorry, something in my eye,” Alex replied, wincing when she saw Angelica raise an eyebrow because that was the oldest excuse and nobody ever bought it.

However, the eldest Schuyler sister must have sensed she didn’t want to be pushed because she didn’t comment and instead explained, “The President needs us in the Oval Office in an hour.”

Alex nodded as she walked over to her desk. “Thank you,” she said, sitting down and turning on her computer.

Angelica turned to leave, her hand on the doorknob when she hesitated and let out a sigh before turning to face the woman she considered her third sister.

“Alex are you sure you’re okay?”

Alex glanced up from her screen, a bright smile on her face as she replied cheerfully, “Of course I am.”

The eldest Schuyler sister wanted to push—she could tell something was up—but at the same time she knew Alex could sometimes be a closed book when it came to what she was thinking so she simply nodded before leaving.

Alex’s shoulder slumped just as the door shut and she let out a soft sigh. She hated lying to any of the Schuylers, but this wasn’t something she could tell them, at least not now.

Shaking her head, she refocused on her computer, working on the President’s speech for the upcoming state dinner.

She had to work pretty hard on it, after all, it was likely one of the last she would write for the President.

* * *

 “In conclusion, Mr. President, I believe that a diplomatic response would be the best course of action in this situation…”

Washington nodded as he listened to Burr make his point. Out of habit, he glanced over at Alex, expecting to see the young woman furiously scribbling away in her notebook.

Instead, he saw her staring out the window, looking very far away from the conversation.

He frowned at this, confused because he knew for a fact Alex was _always_ focused during these types of meetings.

To see her like this was worrying.

He quickly redirected his attention to Burr and stated, “I agree with your assessment Burr, I trust you can complete this quickly?”

Burr nodded and Washington stood up. “Then you are all dismissed—except you Hamilton, I would like to speak to you for a moment, if you don’t mind.”

Alex froze in her half-standing position, turning her head to look at Angelica who shrugged before leaving the room with the others

After the door closed Washington began to sit, gesturing for her to as well which she did after a moment of hesitation.

Alex watched as her boss folded his hands in front of him, staring at her intently and remarking a soft voice, “You weren’t paying attention during the meeting Alex.”

He watched as his aide flushed, insisting, “I’m sorry Mr. President, it won’t happen again, I promise.”

Washington raised his hand to stop Alex’s nervous ramble, giving her a soft smile. “Alex, you are easily one of my most—if not _the_ most—dedicated aides,”

Alex turned even redder at the praise which made the president chuckle as he continued, “It’s not like you to be distracted during a meeting, is something troubling you?”

The young woman bit her lip and looked away, a sudden thought came to Washington and he narrowed his eyes as he asked in a deceptively calm tone, “How did your meeting with your grandfather go?”

Really, he was surprised this didn’t occur to him sooner.

Alex sighed softly, smiling slightly as she replied, “It was fine—really,” she insisted when she saw him raise an eyebrow. “It’s just—it’s an odd adjustment, to go from thinking my mother had no parents to meeting my grandfather.”

She left out the whole royalty thing because, well, that wasn’t exactly something she really wanted to share at the moment.

Washington chuckled. “I imagine it would be,” he gave her a look. “You know if you ever have anything you want to get off your chest, I’m here.”

Alex laughed softly, her eyes twinkling as she stood up. “I’ll keep that in mind Mr. President.”

She walked over to the door, her hand on the doorknob and ready to leave when she paused, turning to look at Washington and asked quietly, “Mr. President, is it possible I could leave early? There’s…something I need to do.”

Washington chuckled, smiling at her as he replied, “Considering you’ve been known to stay overtime, I think that’s something I could allow.”

Alex thanked him before leaving the office. Washington watched the door close behind her, letting out a heavy sigh and running a hand down his face as he stared at the papers littering his desk.

He had dealt with multiple crises’s at once and yet he was certain that it would be Alex Hamilton that would drive him to an early grave.

 _But,_ he thought with a small smile as he picked up a paper to read, _I don't know what I would do without her_.

* * *

 “Sorry, I know it’s late and my grandfather is likely to be sleeping now, especially since he probably has some big important meeting tomorrow and—”

Maria couldn’t help but smile at Alex’s rambling, cutting the woman off as she stated, “It is fine Your Highness, in fact, His Majesty was hoping you would come back.”

Alex nodded slowly, somewhat taken aback by the title though she supposed she should get used to it.

She walked into the living room of the suite and saw her grandfather was still dressed in his suit, a mug filled with something steaming in his hand.

Nicolás quickly put down the mug when he saw Alex, gesturing for her to take a seat which she did, rather nervously as she had no idea how her grandfather felt about her suddenly running off.

“I’m sorry.”

Alex blinked at the apology, seeing her grandfather’s guilty expression as he explained, “Maria gave me a lecture about how I pretty much dropped that big piece of news on you with no warning,”

“I don’t know if you can I say I didn’t have any warning, I mean,” Alex began, feeling her cheeks flush in embarrassment. “I probably should have figured it out when I realized you were the King of Nevis.”

“Yes, well,” Nicolás coughed. “The fact is that I still should have eased you into it a bit more, so I hope you accept my apology.”

Alex gave him a soft smile. “You’re already forgiven A-Abuelo,” she replied, stuttering over the name.

Nicolás chuckled, grinning at her. “Please, call me Abu.” Alex giggled as she replied, “As you wish.”

Her grandfather’s mouth twitched before his expression became solemn as he stated, “Now, I believe we have some things to cover.”

Alex felt her throat close as the air in the room suddenly became thicker, recognizing that her grandfather was now gone and replaced with The King.

“You are my heir—as of now, you are my _only_ living heir—as such, you will have to undergo lessons on etiquette, manners, our policies and practices and our languages—”

“I already speak Spanish,” Alex interrupted, feeling herself fidget when she saw her grandfather and Maria staring at her incredulously. “And Portuguese, French—Latin too, and I know some Russian as well…”

She trailed off, her cheeks turning bright red when she saw the amazed expressions.

“That’s incredible,” Maria managed, eyes wide. “I knew you were intelligent, of course, but I didn’t know you were multilingual…”

“Yes, well, my mother taught me Spanish and Portuguese,” she winced when she saw her grandfather flinch a bit. “And the other languages I just picked up.”

“Well, it would appear the language lessons aren’t necessarily,” Nicolás said after a long pause. “However, the other lessons will still be required.”

Alex nodded, biting her lip as she asked in a quiet voice, “And I assume you are also going to tell me I have to quit my job?”

She held her breath, watching her grandfather as he sighed heavily. “Yes, obviously I can’t allow my only heir to be working under the President of the United States—it would lead to questions that I’d rather not be asked,”

He watched his granddaughter’s shoulders slump, saw the resignation in her posture and gave her a gentle smile. “However, it is my understanding that President Washington is in the last few months of his term and I would hate to cause him any trouble,”

Alex perked up a bit at hearing this, watching as he continued, “I plan to hold a ball to officially introduce you, however that will be after the lessons which will take some time.”

“Therefore, Maria and I have decided that you can stay at your job until the end of his term, at which point you will resign and then, later, be presented as my heir.”

Alex couldn’t help herself: she jumped up and hugged her grandfather out of excitement, startling the poor man. “Oh, thank you so much Abu, you have no idea how much I was worried about how to break it to the President and—”

She stopped herself, her cheeks heating as she quickly stepped back causing Nicolás to chuckle, his eyes twinkling.

“I do not wish to make this difficult for you Alejandra,” He said in a soft tone. “This is a life-changing event and I would make this as easy for you as possible.”

Alex smiled softly at him. “Thank you.”

Nicolás returned the smile and the two stared at each other for a few minutes before he broke it with a cough, gesturing to Maria who walked over to the doors.

“There is one other thing, however,” he met her eyes with a serious expression. “You are my only heir, which makes your safety my first priority,”

Alex heard footsteps behind her and turned to see the man and woman from before entering the room. “This is Deborah Sampson and Nathan Hale, from this point on they will be entrusted with your protection.”

She turned back and raised an eyebrow which made him chuckle as he realized what she was silently asking.

“They will not accompany you into the White House, as I trust the Secret Service are more than capable, however, they will be driving you to and from work and should you go anywhere outside of work.”

Alex sighed, realizing she would have to accept this and turned to give her new bodyguards what she hoped was a welcoming smile. “It is nice to meet you.”

The woman—Deborah—inclined her head. “You do need to worry, Your Highness, you are safe in our hands.”

Alex swallowed at those words: _Your Highness_.

She was no longer simply Alex Hamilton; she was Alejandra Raquel Faucette, the Crown Princess of Nevis and the future Queen.

But, she had never backed down from a challenge before and she certainly wasn’t going to now.

She was _not_ going to throw away her shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we saw Alex's internal thoughts-which, let's be real, are probably how most of us would act if we were in her situation-plus a moment between her and Washington and some family bonding.
> 
> Next chapter will cover her lessons, Eliza makes an appearance and there's a state dinner that leads to Alex having a revelation so stay tuned for that :D
> 
> Update: so I switched Hercules out for Lafayette because, well, I have some plans that necessitated the switch *evil laugh*


	4. Eliza, I Have Something to Tell You...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex experiences doubt about her ability to rule and the King immediately sets out to reassure his granddaughter and also shares a bit about their family's somewhat tragic history.
> 
> Also, Eliza accidentally finds out Alex is a princess and Lafayette and Peggy start flirting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly peeks head out* so...I'm not dead.
> 
> Sorry, but I had final assignments (including a group website project that was kind of stressing me out), then finals themselves and then the stress of having to pack up my entire dorm and clean it before moving out.
> 
> In any case, I'm now back home, in my room which is currently filled to the brim with stuff that I'm going to have to sort through but I'm not because I wanted to finish this for you guys.
> 
> On a (not bad for me, but kind of bad for you) note I have a job interview tomorrow, for a place I have previously volunteered at. Which, if I get it, is both good and bad: good because I'll actually have money to, you know, pay for university and stuff, but bad because it's likely a 9-5 fulltime job so less time to write HOWEVER I will make it work.
> 
> Also, the job won't start until the 30th of April so I'll try to get some writing done but I also want to go for my learner's so we'll see.
> 
> Sorry for this long note, just wanted to give you guys an update, and please enjoy!

“Now, King Felipe III came into power around the time of the French Revolution and—Alex, are you paying attention?”

 Nicolás questioned, frowning when he saw his granddaughter quickly bring her head up. Her cheeks were flushed.

“I’m sorry, Abu,” Alex crossed her legs as she had been taught. “You were saying that King Felipe III came into power during the French Revolution?”

“Alejandra,” Nicolás watched his granddaughter wince at his tone and he softened it. “You have been very attentive during these lessons—I would argue you know more than some of the nobles who were raised in Nevis!”

Alex giggled at this and he smiled gently. “But now you are distracted, and I find myself wondering why.”

Alex sighed heavily. “It’s just,” she paused, looking down at her hands. “Fernando, the first King of Nevis, he won independence for his country.”

Watching her grandfather gesture for her to continue with her line of thought she resumed with more passion.

“Felipe I fought Spain and Portugal’s attempts to circumvent Nevis’s independence, Isabella I fought the nobility’s attempts to discredit her because she was a woman and _won_ , Carlos I stopped _two_ attempted coups, his son Carlos II fixed the government, heck even Princess Alejandra took over when her father Felipe II fell ill because her brother, the crown prince, was inadequate.”

“They were all great rulers, who did amazing things for their country,” Alex shifted nervously. “Even your father, who kept Nevis neutral during World War 2 while also providing refuge for thousands of Jewish refugees and helped them gain safe passage.”

“And then there’s me.”

Nicolás let out a slight chuckle when he realized what she was getting at. “My dear Alejandra, you are forgetting, for every three great rulers Nevis had there was one bad one: remember Juan I, the very crown prince you mentioned?”

Alex nodded, wrinkling her nose as she thought of him, a bad taste in her mouth.

When his father died and he took the throne he imprisoned his younger sister, fearing that her popularity was a threat to his rule; he was easily the most unpopular ruler in Nevis history, partly because he went mad early in his rule and had a reputation for cruelty.

 “There is no doubt, in my mind, that you will be one of those three,” Nicolás went on to reassure her. “You are brilliant, kind and fierce, look at how quickly you have learned your country’s history!”

It was true, what he was saying: it had taken little time for Alex to grasp her country’s history and geography and he had doubt she would pass the tests when he gave them, to say nothing of her grasp of its politics.

Protocol and culture were a bit more difficult, but the fact she did work for the President helped in some respect.

“Thank you, Abu,” She replied quietly, her cheeks flushed pink. Nicolás chuckled. “It is no problem at all.”

He clapped his hands together, a slight grin on his face. “Now, I arranged to have something brought from Nevis that I believe you will find most interesting.”

Alex watched in confusion as Maria brought out a scroll, her eyes widening when it was rolled out in front of her and she saw a list of names slowly going down the paper.

“Is this…?”

Nicolás nodded. “The Faucette family tree, there is a tapestry that hangs in the palace but that was a bit too big for me to get here, especially since the staff would notice if it went missing.”

Alex nodded, well aware that the only people who knew about her were her grandfather and Maria, not even his staff and closest advisors were aware of her existence beyond those who knew abstractly about Raquel having a child.

It wasn’t, her grandfather insisted quite strongly, that she was a dark secret but he wanted it to be kept quiet until she was officially recognized and had resigned her position.

Slowly she began tracing the family tree, reading all the names in her head: José I, José II, Ana I, Juan II (much better than his predecessor) and many other names of her ancestors who had ruled Nevis for centuries.

She stopped when she came to Fernando III, her great-grandfather and was shocked when she saw five names next to her grandfather’s as she didn’t know he had siblings.

Nicolás saw what had caught her attention and sighed, his expression sorrowful. “Yes, I had five siblings, I was actually the youngest son.”

Alex gave him a shaken look, immediately realizing the circumstances that made him king were not that different to her own current circumstances.

Catching her look he began to explain:

“There was my elder brother Felipe, followed by Juan and then Carlos,” he paused for a moment, staring at the tapestry with a melancholy expression.

“Then there was me and after that were Cristina and Sofia.”

“Carlos lived for only three days after his birth,” Alex could see her grandfather briefly grieve for the brother he never knew before he shook himself. “Juan suffered from various medical complications and died at only fifteen.”

“And Felipe…”

He broke off, looking overwhelmed by emotions he likely hadn’t felt in years.

“You don’t have to tell me, Abu,” Alex hurried to say, willing to let her curiosity rest if it meant saving her grandfather the pain of remembering his brother’s death.

Her grandfather shook his head, giving her a gentle smile. “It is fine Alejandra, you should know our history.”

“Felipe was travelling to New York to attend a showing of some of our most famous art,” Nicolás shifted so one leg was crossed over the other. “Our mother was worried, as she always was, but Felipe told her “you shouldn’t worry Mama, I will be fine, nothing is going to happen to me.”

Nicolás’s expression became solemn. “A few hours after he took off, we received word that his plane had crashed and there were no survivors: Felipe was just twenty-five.”

“In that instance, I had become the Crown Prince of Nevis, the future King and it was a role that I would take on sooner than I expected.”

“My mother was devastated by Felipe’s death,” Nicolás explained. “Her grief was so great that she fell ill and never recovered.”

“To lose his son and his wife in such a short period of time affected my father greatly and it didn’t help when Sofia passed away in a car crash a few months later, he had health problems and he suffered a heart attack that ended his life.”

He looked at his granddaughter with a grim smile. “And so, at the age of twenty-two, I became King.”

Alex opened her mouth to say something, offer her grandfather some words of comfort, but she couldn’t think of anything that would make it better.

What could she say to her grandfather who didn’t just lose one, but _four_ of his siblings? Who had lost _both_ of his parents and then had to become King?

And then he would lose her mother, his wife, his son and then his grandson…

“How?”

Nicolás raised an eyebrow, silently asking her to elaborate. “How did you not completely fall apart?”

“Because I was the King,” he replied. “I had a country to rule, duty always comes first Alejandra, that is one thing I’m afraid you’ll have to learn.”

Alex nodded and silence fell over the two before Nicolás coughed. “Why don’t we move away from this depressing talk and talk about something you might enjoy, such as stories about your mother when she was a young girl?”

Alex felt her mouth turn up in a bright smile. “I would love that.”

* * *

 

Alex knew she should be probably finishing the speech that Washington would be giving for the commencement address at Colombia University—given that it _was_ her alma mater she wanted to ensure the speech would give something to the students that they would carry with them—but her mind just wasn’t focused on it.

Mostly it was because Angelica and John had both cornered her when she came back from her lessons and asked where she had been; this had become a recurring theme since she had begun disappearing and the stress of lying to two of the people closest to her was starting to get to her.

She could tell they were concerned about her, asking her if she was okay and if she was in trouble—the fact that both had been present during the whole Lee incident didn’t help matters.

And she _couldn’t_ tell them where she was going, even if she wanted to, due to the fact her grandfather asked her to keep her status a secret less the media get ahold of it.

She was very thankful for Washington, who had developed the uncanny ability to show up at exactly the right time and order everyone to get back to work.

That added another layer of guilt, however, because then she was lying to the President of the United States and it was the hardest thing she ever did.

“You look thoughtful, more so than usual I mean,”

Hearing a familiar voice Alex glanced up and couldn’t help the involuntarily squeal she let out when she saw Eliza Schuyler in her doorway.

“Eliza, oh my god,” Alex hurried to stand up and ran over to pull the middle Schuyler sister into a hug. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

Eliza smiled softly. “It was a last-minute thing and we wanted to surprise you.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “We?”

“Surprise!”

Peggy Schuyler exclaimed as she jumped out from behind her older sister, a wide grin on her face as Alex let out a loud laugh and hugged her tightly.

“Why was I not informed about this family reunion?” Angelica questioned as she walked over, her mouth twitching in amusement as she hugged her two sisters.

“How have you been?” Alex asked. Eliza let out a soft sigh. “Good, the kids have been great, the travel has been a bit rough but I manage.”

Eliza ran an organization dedicated to bringing education to children who lived in third-world countries, it was something she was very passionate about and genuinely enjoyed doing.

Peggy, on the other hand, was studying to be a nurse and planned to work in pediatrics which was exhausting at times but, like Eliza, was something she enjoyed.

“Angelica, the President wants to know…”

Lafayette trailed off when the women turned to look at him. Alex couldn’t help but notice Peggy do a double take when she saw the Frenchman, her cheeks flushing a bright pink.

She didn’t miss Lafayette’s reaction to the youngest Schuyler sister either, his eyes widening slightly before he walked forward and held out his hand to her.

“Hello Mademoiselle, my name is Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette,” he introduced himself, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “And you would be?”

“Peggy Schuyler,” Peggy replied, raising an eyebrow. “That’s quite a name you have.”

Lafayette coughed. “Yes, well, the last part is a title really—just call me Lafayette,” Peggy laughed, her eyes twinkling. “Should I curtsy?”

“Not at all,” Lafayette grinned at her which she returned, the two of them staring at each other as if they were the only people in the room.

Alex and Angelica shared amused looks, not expecting this turn of events. Eliza was equally amused as she stepped forward, clearing her throat. “And I’m Eliza Schuyler, it’s nice to meet you Lafayette.”

The Frenchman flushed, looking terribly embarrassed that he had pretty much ignored the other Schuyler sister. “Ah, it is nice to meet you as well Eliza, forgive me for not introducing myself to you.”

Eliza gave him a warm smile, the kind that Alex knew tended to make people feel at ease around her. “It’s alright, I’m used to it,” she joked.

“In any case,” she looked at Angelica and Eliza. “The reason Peggy and I are here is because we wanted to see if you could have lunch?”

Angelica frowned. “I’m sorry, I have a meeting with the President—but Alex can probably go.”

“Shouldn’t I be attending this meeting as well?” Alex looked at the Chief of Staff in confusion. Angelica shook her head, a slight grin on her face. “Top secret Alex, sorry.”

She heard her surrogate sister mutter something under her breath which made her lift her hand to hide her smile. “So, I guess I’m joining you for lunch then.”

“Actually,” Peggy began, her eyes following Lafayette as he sat back at his desk and began conversing with John. “I was thinking I might hang around here for a bit, get to know your co-workers,”

“I think you mean you want to get to know one co-worker in particular,” Angelica remarked dryly, shaking her head. “Go easy on him Peggy.”

The youngest Schuyler sister flashed an innocent smile. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, my dear older sister.”

With that she made her way over, her expression becoming softer as she sat down and began conversing with the Frenchman who was very passionate about whatever he was talking about.

Angelica let out a heavy sigh, saying a quick goodbye to Alex and Eliza before rushing off to her meeting.

“So, we ready to go?”

Eliza questioned, raising an eyebrow as she turned to Alex, who nodded before grabbing her purse and jacket before locking her office.

“Wait, where are we going?” Alex asked, realizing she would have to inform her security team where they were having lunch so they could follow her.

“That new café that opened up a few blocks away, why?”

“You know me,” Alex began texting Nathan and Deborah, explaining that she was going to lunch with one of the Schuyler sisters and they couldn’t drive her. “I _always_ like to be prepared.”

She got a text back saying that her bodyguards would be following behind her and Eliza, which she didn’t exactly like but she knew that was the only way they would let her go with Eliza.

“Alright, let’s go, I’m starving!” The presidential aide exclaimed as she began walking quickly towards the parking lot.

Eliza stared after her for a few moments, eyes narrowed suspiciously before she shrugged and followed Alex.

Something was going on with Alex, but she was sure it was nothing serious—after all, what could possibly have changed in her life?

* * *

 

“So, what’s new with your life?”

Alex glanced up from her sandwich to see Eliza staring expectantly at her. Over her shoulder, she could see Deborah and Nathan, having taken a table towards the back that would allow them to see the entire café, including all the exits.

She swallowed heavily. “Nothing, really; writing the President’s speeches, anticipating his needs—the normal stuff, really.”

Eliza opened her mouth—what she was going to ask, Alex didn’t know—because she shut it quickly and her expression darkened as she stared at something over Alex’s shoulder.

Confused by this sudden change in Eliza’s mood Alex turned around slightly and froze when she saw Nathan and Deborah’s reflection in the window.

It was subtle—you could only really see the back of Deborah’s head and part of Nathan’s shoulder—but it was still _very_ clear that they had been watching them.

“Alex,”

Eliza spoke in a harsh whisper, reaching out to grab the brunette’s hand gently. “I’m going to slowly stand up and you’re going to follow me, then we’ll head to the bathroom ok?”

“Eliza wait—”

But Alex didn’t even get to finish her protest before Eliza did as she said she would, slowly standing up and dragging Alex with her when the woman didn’t immediately follow.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alex could see her bodyguards quickly rise from their spot and she knew she had to do something before this turned into an incident that ended up in the papers.

“Alright we should be okay in here,” Eliza stated as she hurried into the bathroom. “The woman might follow us in, but the man won’t,”

“Eliza—”

“I noticed them following us to the café, how they followed us from the White House I don’t know but they must be clever,”

“Eliza let me explain—”

“I can’t _believe_ I didn’t notice them watching us, how could they be so blatant—?”

“Eliza!”

That finally got the middle Schuyler sister’s attention who blinked bewilderedly at Alex who let out a sigh. “They’re not stalkers, they’re my bodyguards.”

Eliza laughed, shaking her head. “That’s ridiculous, why would _you_ of all people need bodyguards? Sure, you may have ruffled a few feathers, but I don’t see why President Washington would assign them to you.”

“President Washington didn’t—wait, why do you think _Washington_ would assign me bodyguards?”

Alex quickly shook her head. “Never mind, that’s not important, the point _is_ they were hired by my grandfather.”

“I’m sorry, your grandfather?” Eliza’s eyebrows immediately went up. “Since when do you have a grandfather?”

“Since a few weeks ago.” Eliza blinked before shaking her head. “Alright, so you now have a grandfather…why did he hire bodyguards for you?”

“Because…”

Alex trailed off, hesitating because if she revealed this to Eliza then she would know and—

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Deborah’s concerned voice filtered in and Alex shut her eyes tightly, there was no going back now. She opened her eyes to see Eliza staring wide-eyed at her.

“Why did she call you Your Highness Alex?”

Alex took a deep breath. “Because my grandfather is King Nicolás of Nevis and, as of a few weeks ago, I am the Crown Princess.”

Eliza didn’t speak. “Eliza?” No response. “Eliza, _please_ say something.”

“You’re the Crown Princess of Nevis,” Alex sighed at the dazed tone, at least she was saying _something_ and wasn’t freaking out…yet…

“You’re the Crown Princess of Nevis, oh my god my best friend is the _freaking Crown Princess of Nevis.”_

And _that_ would be the freakout. “Eliza, look at me.”

Alex reached out to grab her friend’s hands, causing the middle Schuyler sister to stare out at her. “Breathe.”

Eliza did as Alex suggested, taking a few deep breaths before giving the newly-revealed princess a serious look.

“How did this happen?”

“Well, when a man and woman love each other—”

Alex let out a laugh when Eliza playfully hit her on the shoulder, grinning at her before becoming serious. “My mother was a princess, she met my father and she fell in love with him, she became pregnant with me and she thought they would get married and we would be a big happy family,”

Alex snorted, her expression becoming darker. “Obviously that didn’t happen, she gave up her title in an attempt to save the rest of the family from shame, given this was before social media it was fairly easy for her to hide her identity.”

“Then she died, I went into the foster system and…well, I think you can guess the rest.”

Eliza leaned against the bathroom sink, clearly trying to process all of this. “How are you dealing with all of this, really?”

She watched her best friend cross her arms over her chest. “I’ve learned that one day, I will be the queen of a small European nation, I’m dealing with it about as well as I can be.”

“And your job?” Eliza questioned. “Why are you still working for Washington?”

“I’m currently taking lessons on, well, how to be a princess and queen; there will be an official introduction in a few months, which will be when Washington is finishing up his first term.”

“And then what?” Eliza raised an eyebrow. “You just hand in your resignation and leave without telling anyone why, letting them find out at the introduction?”

“I…”

Alex trailed off, not having a reply because that was _exactly_ what she had planned on doing.

Eliza gave her a look. “Alex, I think they deserve to know _why_ you are resigning.”

“They do but,” she let out a soft sigh. “If I don’t tell them why I’m resigning, then I can leave with them still thinking about me in the same way.”

“Alex,” Eliza said in a quiet tone. “Them finding out you’re the Crown Princess won’t change the way they look at you.”

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on this Betsy,” Alex replied, using her nickname for Eliza.

The sound of a throat clearing made them turn to see Deborah standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised. “Forgive me for interrupting Your Highness, but the King has been informed of this…situation and would like you and Miss Schuyler to come to the hotel.”

“Thank you, Deborah,” Deborah inclined her head slightly and left, leaving Alex with a speechless Eliza.

“Eliza?” The middle Schuyler sister shook her head slowly. “I’m going to meet the King of Nevis, aren’t I?”

Alex nodded, raising an eyebrow as Eliza began pacing. “I’m going to meet the King, who just happens to be your grandfather—oh my God, I am not dressed to be meeting _freaking_ royalty…!”

“Eliza!” Alex said patiently, waiting until Eliza stopped and looked at her. “As the Crown Princess of Nevis, I can say that you look perfectly fine to meet the King.”

Eliza let out a heavy sigh, a small smile forming on her face as she asked, “This has stopped phasing you, hasn’t it?”

“When you find out you’re the long-lost heir to a throne, nothing really phases you much anymore.”

* * *

 

Despite Alex’s reassurances Eliza still couldn’t help her nervousness, for all she was a Senator’s daughter she hadn’t really prepared to meet _royalty_ —nor was she prepared for her best friend to be royalty, but that ship had already sailed so…

“Miss Schuyler,”

Nicolás said warmly as he stood to greet her, clearly trying to be less intimidating to his granddaughter’s best friend and sister in all but blood.

He somewhat succeeded, as Eliza’s curtsy to him was only _slightly_ self-conscious and filled with anxiety, but then Rome wasn’t built in a day so at least there was slight progress.

“Your Majesty,” Eliza greeted politely, relying on the training her father and mother had given her and her sisters to keep the unsteadiness she felt from leaking into her voice.

“Come, sit down, please,” The king requested as he followed his own instructions. “I understand you run a charity dedicated to bringing education to children in third-world countries?”

Alex silently thanked her grandfather as she watched all of the nervousness flood out of Eliza’s body and replaced with enthusiasm as she began explaining the details of her charity to the king who listened intently.

Tea was served and before long the conversation turned away from Eliza’s charity—which the King had firmly stated he would support—and onto other topics like her sisters, her parents and even Alex to the woman’s embarrassment.

All in all, Alex thought with a smile as she watched Eliza laugh softly at something the King said, this wasn’t as bad as Eliza thought it would be.

* * *

 

“I can’t believe I just had tea with the _King of Nevis_!”

Alex couldn’t help but chuckle as she handed Eliza her coffee and sat down beside her on her worn-out sofa in her apartment. “You’ve said that at least five times Betsy.”

Eliza shot her a glare. “Oh, be quiet, you’re a princess, you’ve had the time to get used to it.”

The two shared a laugh before an awkward silence permeated the air. Then the silence was broken:

“Alex?”

Alex looked inquisitively at her sister who asked quietly, “Does Washington know about your grandfather?”

Alex blinked. “He doesn’t know he’s the King, but yes, he knows about him, why?”

Eliza let out a soft hum, not sure if she should voice the thoughts going through her mind, especially the little voice that sounded suspiciously like Peggy.

Peggy, who was convinced that Alex and George had a close relationship than the President had with even Angelica.

No, with all that Alex had going on, she didn’t need this additional thought bouncing around in her mind.

“Nothing, so when’s your next princess lesson?”

Alex immediately began speaking, her words rushing over Eliza like a waterfall, calming and soothing.

This day didn’t turn out like Eliza thought it would, but she could honestly say she wouldn’t change it for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Eliza has officially found out that Alex is a princess, at least she has someone outside Maria, her grandfather and her bodyguards to talk to. 
> 
> Also Leggy is officially a go. I should also give mention to what Eliza said about Peggy's suspicions because, it's not that Peggy (or anyone else, for that matter) thinks Washington and Alex are in any kind of relationship, she just has noticed that they're very close, which makes sense when you consider Alex is his right-hand woman. 
> 
> Next chapter...I'm just going to ask you guys to not come at me with torches and pitchforks, ok?


	5. It Can Change in an Instant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex thought she would get used to the idea of people dying, turns out it's not something you ever get used to
> 
> Sometimes, she wonders if she isn't cursed 
> 
> Featuring blood-covered Alex, a worried grandfather and some cute Marliza and Whamilton moments despite the circumstances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: brief mentions of violence (not detailed but still there) and the use of a racist slur (only once).

Alex was fairly certain that this was an image the media and the public would have never expected to see: President George Washington playfully playing fetch with his American Foxhound Sweetlips.

She couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face as she watched the President grin while Sweetlips ran after the ball his owner just threw, which just so happened to land at her feet.

The brunette bent down to pick up the ball and was immediately knocked over by the large dog, causing her to giggle as she was covered in kisses.

“Sweetlips,” Washington said in a stern tone that was rather similar to the one he used as the President. “Get off of Alex.”

“It’s fine Mr. President,” Alex insisted as she scratched Sweetlips behind his ears causing him to pant, giving her boss a warm smile to show it really was.

It wasn’t exactly the first time she had been knocked over—an unfortunate side effect of being on the shorter side—but compared to the previous people who had knocked her over Sweetlips was easily the most adorable and so she forgave him.

Huh, she guessed that was a pro of being the future queen: no one would likely knock her over anymore.

A familiar large hand entered her vicinity and she glanced up to see Washington holding his hand out to her with a gentle smile. Her cheeks heated as she took it and allowed him to pull her up on her feet.

Desperate for the redness in her cheeks to disappear—why was she blushing anyways?—she glanced up at the sky and frowned when she saw it was unusually gray for this time of year.

That didn’t help the uneasiness she had felt about the speech Washington was going to give at Columbia, which had begun when the dean contacted the Secret Service to inform them that threats against the President had been mailed to him.

The language of the threats was difficult to read, particularly to those closest to Washington: it was clear that the person who made the threats was extremely racist and believed that, quote, “a no-good negro had no business running America”.

The Secret Service, of course, took the threat seriously, tightening security at the university and that seemed to ease everyone’s concerns.

Everyone, that is, except Alex.

“Alex,” she blinked and turned to see Washington peering at her with a concerned expression. “You’ve been acting rather off since this morning, is there a reason why?”

“I’m sorry Sir, it’s nothing really,” Alex insisted, quickly pasting a bright smile. Washington wasn’t buying it, however, and gave her a look.

“Hamilton,” he said sternly, in a tone that left no room for argument. “What’s wrong?”

His brunette aide let out a heavy sigh, allowing her mouth to turn upwards as she watched Sweetlips dig in the garden.

“It’s just,” she paused before looking at him as she admitted quietly, “the threats.”

Washington’s eyes widened as he nodded in realization. “Ah,” he gave her a reassuring look. “The Secret Service is very good at their job.”

“I’m sure that’s what JFK thought too,” Alex winced as soon as she realized what she said. “I’m sorry Sir, I shouldn’t have said that.”

The president shook his head, his mouth twitching. “It’s alright, actually I find it rather comforting that I have an aide who cares so much about me.”

Said aide flushed brightly as she shook her head. “I’m sure Lafayette and Angelica also care as much as I do sir.”

Washington stepped closer to her, she could feel the heat radiating off of him and it made her warm all over. “But _they_ aren’t worried about the threats made about me, are they?”

“They are,” Alex defended her friends. “They just don’t say they are because they don’t want to worry you.”

Washington chuckled. “I see,” the sound of a throat clearing made the two turn to see Burr clearly waiting for the two of them.

“Forgive me, Mr. President, but we need to leave now for your speech.”

“Of course, Aaron, thank you,” The press secretary inclined his head before walking inside.

Alex was startled when Washington placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I promise you, Alex, everything will be fine.”

The President had always had a reassuring way about him, perhaps it was his voice or just his general demeanor but he always seemed to make worries go away with just a simple action or word.

Alex was not immune to it, thus her worry slowly dissipating until it was virtually gone as she followed Washington, briefing him on everything he needed to know once again.

Unfortunately, this was the one day where Washington wasn’t right.

* * *

 

In all fairness, there were no outward signs that everything was about to go to hell: the university had abided by the Secret Service’s _suggestions_ —read: orders—and ensured that no one who was not a professor, student or authorized guest was allowed to attend the speech.

There was a security checkpoint set up by both the Secret Service and campus security, everyone had to sign in, no one could re-enter without showing their pass: everything seemed to be going well.

Of course, that was when it went wrong; sometimes Alex wondered if she was cursed.

The speech had gone off without a hitch—Washington even included a few jokes that got a chuckle out of everyone—and it seemed that maybe whoever made the threat wasn’t going to act on it.

Washington waved as he was being escorted towards the Presidential car, Alex close behind him, when the first gunshot pierced the air.

She had never heard a gunshot before, so she froze for a split second—feeling something spray on her— before she was knocked to the ground by Tallmadge as Brewster did the same to the President.

There was another _crack_ followed by someone screaming. Alex tried to shift her body so she could see the President—was he ok?—but Tallmadge ordered her to stay low as he began gently dragging her towards the car.

Despite the chaos and the screaming Alex clearly heard Brewster yell, “Cincinnatus has been shot, I repeat Cincinnatus has been shot!”

She thought having watched her mother slowly die before her, she would be used to the idea of someone close to her dying.

She wasn’t, she realized as she looked down and saw she was covered in blood— _Washington’s blood_ —she would never get used to the idea.

* * *

 

Alex faintly heard the sound of water running as Angelica turned on the taps of the sink in the hospital bathroom, her ears still ringing from the gunshot.

Slowly she raised her head and looked at herself in the mirror: she hadn’t had the chance to change out of her clothes, so the blood had begun drying.

It clung to her, making her feel sticky and gross and _oh god she’s covered in Washington’s blood he got shot he’s dying—_

“Alex?”

She blinked before turning to see Angelica giving her a worried look. “Come on, we should try to get you clean,” the elder Schuyler sister said in a gentle tone.

Alex didn’t protest as Angelica led her over to the sink, which worried Angelica because normally the brunette aide would insist she was fine but now she was almost…submissive.

It was a worrying shift, though Angelica supposed none of them were acting normal right now.

The Nevisian heir stood silently as the Schuyler sister helped her wash her hands and face, cleaning it of the blood and causing the water to turn pink.

As she watched the blood wash down the drain she felt her stomach turn and she glanced down to see her hands start shaking.

“Alex, are you alright?” Angelica asked, her worry rising when she saw her sister was shaking.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” was the response she got as Alex proceeded to bend over the sink and do just that.

The chief of staff quickly brushed her hair back while the princess emptied the contents of her stomach, heaving heavily when she was done.

There was a knock at the door and Lafayette began speaking through it. “Guys, the doctor’s here.”

Angelica quickly helped Alex remove any trace of vomit before the two women hurried out the door, nearly beaning the Frenchman who didn’t really seem to care.

The trio rejoined Burr and Laurens who were speaking in hushed tones with the doctor, who looked up upon seeing them making their way over.

He briefly frowned when he saw Alex’s blood-stained clothes, clearly wanting to say something but chose not to as he cleared his throat.

“The President suffered two gunshot wounds, one to the shoulder and one to his chest; the second bullet missed his heart, only by an inch mind you, he’s very lucky.”

“Will he be ok?” Angelica questioned, her expression showing no emotion. She was revealed, however, by the shakiness in her tone.

The doctor seemed to hesitate, choosing his words carefully. “We’ve performed surgery to repair the damaged tissues in the shoulder and have cleaned the wound, we have taken x-rays of his chest and will use them to assess if we also need to perform surgery on his chest.”

“Two gunshot wounds are very serious, particularly when one considers where he was shot; at the moment, all we can do is observe.”

“Thank you,” Lafayette said, firmly shaking his hand. The doctor returned the handshake. “I don’t need to be thanked sir, I’m just doing my job.”

He left to go check on his other patients and Alex, who had been shaking throughout the entire conversation, fell into one of the nearby chairs and covered her face with her hands.

“Alex?”

Laurens asked, sitting next to her with a worried expression. “Are you alright?”

“The President was shot and I am covered in his blood,” Alex muttered into her hands. “I could be better.”

She felt his arm wrap around her shoulder. “Hey, Washington’s tough,” he tried to reassure her with a gentle smile. “And the doctors will do their best, unless they want to put up with Angelica screaming at them.”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at that, removing her hands so she could smile at him, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Thanks for that,”

Laurens chuckled, pressing a kiss to her head. “I’m going to get you something to eat, because Angelica will _murder_ me if I don’t.” Alex snorted at that, though that wasn’t exactly an untrue statement.

At that moment Alex’s phone began ringing and she quickly checked it while Laurens went off to find a vending machine.

Her eyes widened when she saw it was Nathan calling her and after a quick scan went into an empty hallway—out of the no cellphone area—and answered with a polite, “hello?”

 _“Your Highness,”_ she heard Nathan let out a breath he seemed to have been holding. _“His Majesty was watching the news and, well…he was concerned about you.”_

“Oh my god,” Alex shut her eyes, feeling guilty at the worry her grandfather must have felt. “I’m sorry, everything’s been rather hectic since…”

She trailed off, letting the words hang in the space in front of her.

 _“Yes, we heard, His Majesty hopes President Washington will recover,”_ her bodyguard paused, hesitating for a moment before he continued. _“He has also requested that Deborah and I come and retrieve you so that you can be brought to His Majesty’s hotel room.”_

“What?” Alex shook her head, despite the fact she knew he couldn’t see her. “I’m not going Nathan, I understand my grandfather is concerned about his only heir—”

 _“You are not just his only heir,”_ Nathan cut in, sounding serious. _“You are his only grandchild Your Highness, the only family he has left as he is yours.”_

 _Technically there’s still my father_ Alex thought, though she knew that the man was her father in genetics only and couldn’t be considered family in the same way as Nicolás.

For all the bitterness she still might have towards her grandfather _he_ came back, admittedly due to him needing an heir, but he still reconnected with her which was more than she could say for her father.

“I know, it’s just,” she bit her lip. “The President was just in surgery and he may have to go in again and I can’t not be there if he doesn’t—”

She cut herself off, her breath hitching. “I’m not leaving him, Nathan.”

 _“Your Highness,”_ Nathan began. _“I admire your loyalty to Washington, as does His Majesty, however the security concern—_ ”

“—is non-existent,” Alex interrupted. “The hospital has been crawling with Secret Service agents since the President arrived, there’s no way any threat is getting in.”

“And even if one did, why would they go after one of the President’s aides?”

She heard Nathan sigh heavily, she _did_ feel slightly guilty for making this hard on him especially when he was likely only acting on her grandfather’s orders, but she wasn’t going to leave until she knew the President was okay.

Until she knew he wasn’t going to die like her mother…

 _“Very well,”_ The princess was brought out of her melancholy musings by Nathan’s voice. _“But you_ must _stay within the hospital, do you understand? If you need to leave, call me or Deborah or get one of the Secret Service to go with you.”_

“I understand,” Alex replied. She glanced down at her still blood-stained clothes and figured she should probably _not_ continue looking like the dead.

“On that note, do you think you could get a hold of Maria for me?”

* * *

 

Alex shifted in the seat she had taken next to the President’s hospital bed, feeling a lot more comfortable now that she was no longer wearing clothes covered in dried blood.

Her gaze shifted from her iPad, which she had been using to read the emails that had gone unanswered, to the bed where Washington was lying.

It turned out that the doctors didn’t need to perform surgery on his chest and Washington had been moved out of the critical status, though he was still sedated for the pain.

“I would have thought that, since your boss was in the hospital, you would be able to take it easy on work,”

A familiar voice spoke from the right of Alex, causing her to quickly turn her head to see Nicolás standing in the doorway with his arms crossed.

“Abu, what are you doing here?” Alex wondered as she quickly stood up, curtsying. “Did anyone see you?”

Her grandfather chuckled as he entered, raising an eyebrow. “No, my guards were very good at sneaking me in and as for why I’m here,” he sat down in the chair she had vacated, giving her a serious look. “I needed to confirm my heir—and only granddaughter—is safe and since she ignored my orders…”

Alex flushed, looking away and staring at the hospital room’s wallpaper. She heard Nicolás let out a heavy sigh.

“I understand why you did it Alejandra,” he noted in a soft tone. “You did not want to leave the side of your president, it is very loyal of you.”

He watched his granddaughter slowly move her head to look at him and he felt his heart clench when he saw her scared expression: it reminded him of how her mother had looked when she came to him after James Hamilton abandoned her.

“I saw him get shot,” Alex began in a quiet tone. “Not once but twice, I didn’t register it at first and then he was on the ground and…”

She trailed off, her voice shaking and Nicolás immediately stood up, stepping forward to place his hands on her shoulders in a comforting gesture.

“I can’t imagine how terrifying it was for you,” he muttered and Alex let out a quiet laugh, raising an eyebrow.

“About as terrifying as it was for you.” She remarked quietly. “Nathan told me you were watching the speech.”

Nicolás let out a soft sigh, his mouth twitching. “It certainly wasn’t fun,” his tone became serious as he continued. “You scared me Alejandra.”

Alex swallowed, realizing that she would have to get used to the idea that she had family who cared about her. “I’m sorry Abu.”

Nicolás smiled softly, kissing her on the forehead. “Just don’t do it again, alright?”

“Alex, I brought you your—”

Eliza began, only to cut herself off when she realized she had just interrupted a family moment. Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry, your Majesty,” she apologised and curtsied.

Nicolás chuckled, his eyes twinkling. “It is perfectly fine Miss Schuyler,” he assured her as his granddaughter grabbed the coffee from her friend.

“Your Majesty, we should really be…” Maria began as she entered the room, freezing when she realized there was an extra person.

Alex saw Eliza briefly glance over the assistant before quickly returning her gaze to her face, her cheeks turning bright red as she held out her hand with a sheepish smile. “Eliza Schuyler.”

“Maria Lewis,” Maria replied after a moment, taking the offered hand gently.

The two women stared at each other for a few moments before Alex cleared her throat, amusement in her tone. “I believe you were about to say His Majesty should be leaving Maria?”

“Yes, if I stay any longer people will notice,” Nicolás agreed, hugging his granddaughter goodbye before heading to the door. Maria moved to follow him.

“Um,” Eliza spoke up, flushing when the two Nevisians turned to look at her. “I was actually going to go get a coffee from the shop down the street, it’s not the greatest but um, I was wondering if you would like to come and get one with me?”

She addressed the question to Maria, whose cheeks darkened. “Only if you can, I mean, if you don’t have some important royal business to attend to and…”

Eliza rambled, clearly as embarrassed as Maria, who turned to look at Nicolás who appeared amused. “Go, Miss Lewis, you deserve a break, after all, you somehow agreed to come all the way to America with me.”

He winked at her and Maria chuckled softly, turning to face Eliza with a shy smile. “I would love to Miss Schuyler.”

“Please, call me Eliza,” Eliza insisted and Maria inclined her head, smiling wider. “Then I must ask you call me Maria.”

“Alright, Maria,” Eliza agreed with a wide grin and the two women left, talking in quiet tones as they walked down the hallway.

“That was unexpected,” Alex remarked dryly. Nicolás chuckled, his expression becoming far off as he stared after them. “It’s good though, Maria hasn’t had an easy life, she deserves some form of happiness.”

Alex frowned but didn’t ask, recognizing that Maria wouldn’t like being talked about. She said her goodbyes once again and watched her grandfather exist, his bodyguards trailing behind him.

“Hopefully Eliza doesn’t order the cappuccino,” a hoarse voice remarked, causing Alex to whirl around in shock. “It’s absolutely horrid.”

“Mr. President!” Alex exclaimed, rushing to his side. “How long have you been awake?”

 _How much did you hear_ was the question she didn’t ask.

“I can’t tell,” his forehead wrinkled in concentration. “I think I woke a few minutes ago, but it’s fuzzy.”

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “I thought I heard a male voice, I didn’t recognize it though.”

“Ah, it was my grandfather,” she explained, elaborating when she saw the look he was giving her. “He was worried about me and I didn’t want to leave your side…”

Washington frowned, attempting to sit up only to wince in pain which caused Alex to gently push on his shoulder to prevent him from doing so.

“I feel like I was hit by a cement truck,” he cursed under his breath and Alex couldn’t help the twitch of her mouth, having never heard the President curse before.

He didn’t like it and in fact was the reason for the creation of the White House’s swear jar, to which Alex had contributed the majority.

“You were shot in the shoulder and the chest,” she remarked quietly, unable to help her gaze wandering to the bandages wrapped around said places.

Washington noticed her gaze and, after hesitating for a brief second, reached out to gently take her wrist which caused her eyes to widen in shock, cheeks turning pink.

“I’m sorry for worrying you,” he apologized quietly, squeezing her wrist. “Make a note: from now on, all Secret Service agents must listen when Alex Hamilton is concerned about a threat.”

He declared in a teasing tone, clearly trying to help her. Alex let out an involuntary giggle. “Duly noted,” she tried to sound serious but was betrayed by her smile.

Washington grinned back, his eyebrows furrowing as he examined her. “Your clothes are different.”

Alex blinked, surprised by the remark and the fact the President had taken note of what clothes she was wearing. “I had to change, the blood was already dried—”

“Blood?” Washington demanded, eyes wide in alarm. “Were you shot? You were right behind me, why aren’t you in a hospital room Hamilton—”

“I wasn’t shot Sir,” Alex hurried to say, concerned that in his panic he might injure himself more. “I was standing right behind you when you were shot, however, and well…”

She trailed off and Washington understood what she was saying, letting out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you weren’t injured,” he said quietly.

The two stood in silence, something heavy in the air between them before the silence was broken by Angelica who burst into the room with Burr, Laurens and Lafayette close behind.

“Mr. President, you have no idea how glad we are to see you awake!”

Burr proceeded to update Washington on the media and asked when he felt he was able to hold a press conference while Angelica mentioned the police had caught the shooter—who was a white supremacist—and he had confessed to everything.

Laurens and Lafayette chose to catch up Washington on the White House gossip, namely how Angelica nearly murdered Vice-President Adams for trying to move some of his stuff into the Oval Office.

“I did not _threaten_ to remove his…important parts,” Angelica sputtered. “I simply informed him that Washington wasn’t in a serious condition and would likely be back soon so he shouldn’t do that.”

“So, you’re trying to tell us he _didn’t_ run out of the Oval Office like he was on fire and protecting his family jewels?”

 Lafayette asked with a grin, swiftly avoiding the smack she tried to give him. “Hey, I’m not judging, I imagine it would be worse if Mademoiselle Hamilton was there.”

All eyes turned to look at the woman who was turning bright red and glaring at them. Washington chuckled. “Yes, I’m already aware of how much Alex cares for my wellbeing.”

Alex let out a huff, turning up her nose as if she was an offended lady causing the entire room to burst into laughter.

The conversation continued until a nurse chased them out, ignoring Lafayette’s attempts to charm her and flat out _glaring_ at Laurens when he attempted the same.

Throughout the entire conversation, none of the trained eyes in the room noticed that Washington hadn’t let go of Alex’s wrist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter *sigh* this chapter was a pain in my butt, I actually ended up deleting two entire sections because I realized they weren't important. 
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for shooting Washington?
> 
> A few things of note: Cincinnatus is the codename the Secret Service use for Washington (he was historically called the American Cincinnatus). Also I have no medical experience so please forgive any inaccuracies in that department.
> 
> Next chapter: Alex's secret comes out.


	6. They Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing has ever gone according to plan in Alex's life, so she really shouldn't surprised that she got outed ahead of schedule.
> 
> Or: Reynolds and Lee are horrible, Andre is exasperated and Washington once again proves he's the most level-headed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up, because you're in for a long ride

Maria let out a heavy sigh as she stared intently at the screen in front of her; the email from Theodosia Prevost, Head of the Royal Household’s Communication Office, didn’t outright accuse her of anything but it made her feel guilty none the less.

The first few lines were essentially small talk, asking her how she was and if she was enjoying Washington. The next part after that, however, subtly inquired about the reasons His Majesty was in Washington in the first place and when he was expected to return.

Maria—and the King himself—knew that his absence couldn’t be kept quiet forever and Theodosia was likely already fielding calls from the media. Perhaps, Maria thought, she should speak to the King, see if maybe he would allow her to let Theo know—

“I see His Majesty’s keeping you busy.”

A familiar voice remarked from behind her, making her spine stiffen as she looked over her shoulder to see her ex-husband James Reynolds pull out the chair across from her and sit down.

“What are you doing here?” Maria demanded, causing the man to smirk. “What, no hello?”

“Hello,” she said in a deadpan. “Why are you here?”

He leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t come and say hi to the mother of my child?”

“You haven’t spoken to her in nearly three years,” Maria pointed out fiercely, glaring at him. “You barely pay child support, forgive me if I don’t believe you’re here for her.”

Reynolds didn’t seem affected by her glare, just shrugged and gave her a lazy smirk. “I can’t help but wonder what would bring His Majesty all the way to Washington?”

“Especially with his grandson’s death being so recent, unless,” he paused, raising an eyebrow. “Unless he’s looking for another heir.”

Maria quickly shook her head, glaring at him as she began standing. “Leave James, or I swear to God—”

“Maria?”

Maria turned quickly to see Eliza making her way over, looking warily at James who was eying her. “Eliza, what are you doing here?”

“I was having lunch with my mother when I saw you,” she explained as Maria came over to her. “Is everything ok?”

“It is now,” Maria admitted, giving the Schuyler a warm smile. Eliza returned it, her cheeks flushing.

The sound of a throat clearing made the two women turn to see Reynolds standing, his hands in his pockets as he gave them a not-so-nice grin.

“I was just leaving anyway, tell Susan hi for me, won’t you? And say hi to His Majesty as well?”

With that he began walking away, causing Maria to let out a sigh of relief as she made her way back to her chair. Eliza followed her, taking the seat that Reynolds had vacated.

“Who was that?”

Maria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “My ex-husband James, a charming fellow, isn’t he?” she remarked in a dry tone.

Eliza blinked. “I didn’t know you had been married,” she paused for a moment, clearly hesitating before asking, “Who’s Susan?”

“My daughter.”

Maria replied, smiling softly as she took out her phone and opened the gallery, tapping it a few times before handing the phone over to Eliza.

The middle Schuyler sister stared at the image of a little girl grinning at the camera who was the spitting image of the woman next to her.

“She’s beautiful,” Eliza noted with a smile, handing the phone back to Maria. “How old is she?”

“Five and a half,” Maria replied. Eliza nodded, biting her lip. “So…”

“How exactly does your ex-husband know His Majesty? I mean, he probably knows of him because you work with him but he seemed to have a personal knowledge of him.”

Maria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Technically, it’s through James that I came to know His Majesty: he worked in the Royal Treasury.”

“Unfortunately, it was found out that he had been embezzling funds from it and was promptly fired, though he manages to escape being arrested.”

“How…?” Eliza questioned. Maria shook her head. “Honestly I don’t know, I think His Majesty didn’t want it to become a media circus and just let him be as long as he promised to never step foot in Nevis.”

“I divorced soon after, and because of the charges against him got full custody; His Majesty’s aide-de-camp John Andre took pity on me and recommended me for my current position.”

“You haven’t had an easy life, have you?” Eliza stated in a soft tone. Maria sighed, smiling gently. “Perhaps, but I have a good job, my daughter and wonderful friends…what more could I want?”

Eliza flushed as she reached out to take the other woman’s hand, smiling shyly. “And do I have a place in your life?”

Maria felt her cheeks turn pink as she smiled, squeezing the other woman’s hand “Of course, if you want it.”

“I can think of no better place.”

Unknown to the two women Reynolds was in an alley just a few blocks away, taking out his phone and making a call.

“Hello, is this Charles Lee, the reporter? I understand you want dirt on President Washington? Tell me, how do you feel about breaking the news that his aide Alex Hamilton is the long-lost heir to the Nevisian throne?”

* * *

 

Sometimes, John Andre questioned why he took this job: sure, the pay was good and he got decent housing, but it was not worth the overwhelming urge to hit his head against the wall every time one of his co-workers barged into his office uninvited.

“Really Margaret, His Majesty made it very clear he needed these papers in by midnight, can’t you go and bother Theo or Philomena?”

Margaret Shippen gave Andre an amused look from her spot on his desk. “Really John, you would think you would be happy to see me.”

Andre let out a heavy sigh as he looked up from his computer and glanced over at the blonde woman with a small smile on his face.

“Apologies Margaret, things have been rather hectic with His Majesty being in Washington.” Margaret hummed in acknowledgement.

“Yes, it is rather odd that he took off for Washington so soon after Crown Prince Juan died,” Andre shot her a look, realizing what she was getting off. “Margaret…”

He warned and the woman rolled her eyes. “I’m aware that you’re not allowed to tell me John, but I’m not the only one who’s thinking it: poor Theo has been fielding calls from the media since he left.”

Andre sighed, opening his mouth to reply when his door was thrown open. “Really, why is everyone barging into my office today?”

He complained as a dark-haired woman walked inside, rolling her eyes. “Because we like you more than we like Clinton, John.”

“Hi Theo,” Margaret said cheerfully. “What brings you here?”

“Well, I got a rather strange phone call a few minutes ago,” Theodosia replied. “From the editor of _The Washington Times_ because apparently one of her reporters came to her and told her he had some big story about the long-lost Nevisian heir…?”

The change in Andre is almost instant: his body tensed and he immediately got onto his feet startling Margaret. “Did she give you the reporter’s name?”

“Yes, Charles Lee—where are you going?”

Theodosia questioned as Andre pushed past her. She and Margaret shared a look before the latter went after him.

“John, wait up a moment!” Margaret called out, causing the man to stop and turn around. “Are you not going to tell us why this story is such a big deal?”

“I mean, we’ve had plenty of reporters in the past few days speculating on who the King’s heir will be, why does this one make you so concerned…?”

Margaret trailed off as her eyes widened in realization. “Unless there’s truth to it, oh my god is that why His Majesty is in D.C right now?”

The blonde demanded, narrowing her eyes at Andre who pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yes, His Majesty is in D.C to speak to his heir and that’s all I can tell you.”

Margaret nodded in understanding. “I’ll tell Theodosia to convince the editor to try and ensure Lee holds off going public with the article.”

Andre smiled at her. “What would I do without you?”

Margaret smirked. “Work yourself into an early grave?” Andre chuckled as he began walking backwards. “Most likely.”

He walked with purpose as he headed towards Clinton’s office, dreading the conversation he was about to have. There were few things on this earth more terrifying than Henry Clinton.

Hopefully, he wasn’t in the mood to shoot the messenger…

* * *

 

“Are you absolutely certain Henry?”

Nicolás questioned with a frown as he stared at his old friend who was in charge of his household. The man on the screen let out a heavy sigh, the dark rings around his eyes showing how exhausted he was.

_“Unfortunately, I am as Miss Prevost informed Major Andre who told me as soon as he heard,”_ he explained. _“I also received a phone call from Dr. Hewlett who told me that he had received a request from a reporter named Charles Lee inquiring about records on Princess Raquel.”_

“Likely doing research to see if the timeline fits,” Nicolás noted, feeling a headache coming on as he rubbed his temples. “Is there any chance this Lee can be convinced not to print the article? Perhaps an interview with me might tide him over…”

Andre chose to cut in at this point. _“I’m afraid not Your Majesty; he received information from a source, whom he refuses to name, that one of President Washington’s aides may, in fact, be your chosen heir, and he’s quite intent on publishing it considering how big of a story it is.”_

“Oh god,” Maria whispered as she shut her eyes tightly, causing Nicolás to turn his attention to her. “What is it, Maria?”

“I think the source is James,” she replied. “I ran into him earlier today when I was answering emails at a coffee shop, Eliza showed up and I briefly left my laptop to speak to her…he must have seen the emails I sent to Alex.”

She looked stricken as she ducked her head. “I’m sorry Your Majesty, I shouldn’t have left him alone with my laptop for even a second.”

Nicolás raised his hand. “There is no need to apologize, Maria, what’s done is done, all we can do now is figure out how to handle this situation.”

  _“Obviously the princess must resign her current position,”_ Clinton stated seriously. Nicolás let out a heavy sigh, realizing the man was correct: there was no way Alex could continue working once the news leaked.

“Then I must go inform her,” he replied in a soft tone. “I will also inform the President and his staff, they at least deserve to know so they can be prepared for it.”

Clinton looked like he was about to protest, but he simply sighed. _“Very well Your Majesty, I leave it in your capable hands.”_

Nicolás nodded, saying his goodbyes and ending the video call. He sat there for a while, staring at the blank screen before huffing and turning to Maria.

“It seems we have a visit to make.”

* * *

 

"Mr. President,”

Washington looked up to see Talmadge standing in the doorway with an unreadable expression on his face. “You have a visitor.”

“A visitor?” Washington repeated, raising his eyebrows. “Very well, let them in.”

It was probably one of his cabinet coming to talk or maybe Senator Jefferson here to complain about a bill he was trying to pass.

“Mr. President, may I present His Majesty King Nicolás of Nevis.”

Immediately Washington got onto his feet as Nicolás entered his office with two bodyguards trailing him. Out of everyone he expected to walk through the door, this was probably the most unlikely.

“Your Majesty,” the President greeted, slightly bowing his head in respect. “This is a surprise.”

Nicolás smiled grimly as he shook his hand. “Believe me, Mr. President, this wasn’t a visit I expected to make.”

He cleared his throat, stepping aside and gesturing for Maria to come forward. “May I present my assistant, Ms. Maria Lewis?”

Washington froze as the woman stepped forward and smiled awkwardly, staring at her in disbelief.

_“I am here to speak to Miss Hamilton on behalf of her grandfather.”_

The words echoed in his mind and, at that moment, he finally realized why Alex had been so distracted after meeting her grandfather.

“We’ve already met,” Washington replied stiffly, slowly shifting his gaze over to Alex’s newly revealed grandfather. “As I’m sure you’re aware.”

Nicolás tilted his head before speaking, “I must ask you to call your staff, there is a manner of great importance we must discuss.”

Washington nodded, glancing at Brewster who shook himself out of his reverie and left to go gather the main White House staff—including Alex.

The President re-directed his attention back to the Nevisian king, gesturing towards one of the chairs. “Please, take a seat Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Mr. President, I’m afraid I’m not getting much younger,” Nicolás responded in a jovial tone as he sat down, clearly trying to lighten the tension present in the room.

“Robert,” he suddenly spoke to one of his bodyguards who stepped forward. “Perhaps you should go and get Nathan and Deborah, there isn’t really a need for them to stand outside anymore.”

The bodyguard—Robert—nodded, bowing his head before taking his leave. Nicolás turned to see Washington raising an eyebrow in question. “My granddaughter’s bodyguards.”

He watched Washington closely, but beyond a furrowing of his eyebrows he gave no reaction to this. “I suppose I should have expected that, after all you wouldn’t want to leave your only heir unprotected.”

“Yes, well,” Nicolás folded his hands. “After what happened at Columbia, I’m very grateful that I assigned them to her.”

Washington blinked, realization flashing across his face before he shook his head. “You know, there are a million things I could have gone my entire life without, and having a king see me naked in a hospital bed easily tops the list.”

Nicolás couldn’t help but let out a bark of laughter before immediately trying to cover it up with a cough, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Forgive me, Mr. President, I meant no offense.”

“None taken,” Washington reassured him with a chuckle. “I…probably shouldn’t have said that anyways.”

He pushed down the blush threatening to rise as the doors opened to reveal his staff. “Mr. President, why did you ask for us…?”

Laurens trailed off as Nicolás stood up, his eyes widening in shock. “Y-Your Majesty.” He quickly bowed his head.

Washington looked at Alex, who seemed pale as she laid eyes on her grandfather. He frowned when he noticed she was avoiding looking at him.

“Alejandra,” Nicolás greeted her with warmth to the shock of those not in the know, who immediately turned to look at the brunette in shock.

Alex kept her gaze focused on her grandfather, avoiding the gazes of everyone else—especially Washington, who seemed to be burning a hole in her—before dropping into a quick curtsy. “Your Majesty.”

Laurens and Angelica stared at their friend with disbelieving expressions while Lafayette frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. Burr briefly mimicked the stunned expressions of his colleagues before it smoothed into a blank mask.

Lafayette stepped forward, staring right at Alex for a few minutes before he bowed his head slightly. “Your Highness.”

Alex shut her eyes, knowing that with Lafayette’s words, everyone who hadn’t figured it out—or were still in disbelief—now knew who she was.

Angelica opened her mouth, likely preparing to ask a series of rapid fire questions when she was stopped with a shake of Washington’s head.

She closed it, shooting Alex a look that clearly said “we’re talking about this as soon as possible” before taking a seat.

Maria cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “I realize this is likely a big shock to all of you, but there is an issue that needs to be addressed quickly.”

“Thank you, Maria,” Nicolás said to the woman, who inclined her head. He cleared his throat. “Firstly, while this is no longer necessary, for the sake of formality may I present my granddaughter Her Royal Highness Alejandra Raquel Hamilton Faucette, Crown Princess of Nevis.”

He gestured at Alex, who nodded her head stiffly in acknowledgement. “Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into why I came here.”

“A few hours ago, my head of communications received a call from the editor of _The Washington Times_ informing her that a reporter by the name of Charles Lee was going to release a story centered around the long-lost heir to the Nevisian Throne, more specifically how that particular heir was working for the President as an aide.”

Nicolás raised an eyebrow as the White House staff, as well as his granddaughter, groaned. “From your reactions, I surmise this reporter isn’t unknown to you?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Burr replied gruffly. “Lee is…”

“A pain in the ass—neck?” Laurens quickly corrected himself, blushing when he saw Nicolás looking amused.

“Pretty much,” Burr agreed. “He makes a habit of going after Washington whenever he gets the chance.”

Nicolás hummed. “I guess that’s why he wasn’t willing to drop the story.” He surmised.

“Lee wouldn’t give up the chance to ruin me even if he got the chance to report on the Russian President suddenly dropping dead.” Washington remarked dryly.

“Well, at least that’s cleared up,” Nicolás turned to Alex, looking very apologetic. “I’m sorry Alejandra but…”

“I know,” she cut in, smiling sadly. “I have to resign my position.”

You could hear a pin drop in the sudden silence as the White House staff realized what hadn’t hit them immediately: as Crown Princess of Nevis, Alex couldn’t continue working as Washington’s aide.

The brunette cleared her throat, straightening her spine. “I have my resignation letter on my computer, if I may go to my office…?”

She trailed off, glancing between her grandfather and—now former—boss, unsure who was the one she needed permission from.

“Of course you do,” Washington chuckled despite the situation, smiling because Alex was always prepared and it didn’t surprise him that she had a resignation letter prepared.

Nicolás nodded, indicating Alex could go. Alex took a deep breath before dipping into another curtsy and leaving the room to head to her own office.

Maria turned to Burr, trying to remove the awkward silence that lingered. “If you would like, I could give you Theo’s number—that’s the head of our communication office—so you can coordinate your press statements?”

“That would be nice, thank you Miss Lewis.” Burr replied politely as he took the piece of paper. “With your permission Mr. President, I’ll go contact her now.”

Washington nodded. “Do so, the sooner we get a press statement ready the better off we’ll be.”

Burr nodded his head sharply, bowing to Nicolás before exiting the room as Alex came back, a letter clutched in her hand.

She stepped towards Washington and held out the letter, head tilted up as she stated in a quiet tone. “President Washington, I am resigning from my position.”

Washington nodded, not showing any emotion as he took the letter from her. “I accept your resignation, thank you for your service.”

An expression he couldn’t read appeared on Alex’s face but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “I shall start clearing out my office immediately.”

“Maria, if you wouldn’t mind assisting my granddaughter?” Nicolás inquired as he looked at his assistant who nodded, taking a step towards Alex before pausing and taking a deep breath.

“I feel that, before we go, I should apologize to you Your Highness,” she explained which made Nicolás sigh heavily. “Maria—”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty,” Maria cut in politely. “I shoulder at least some of the blame for this.”

She stared at Alex intently. “My ex-husband James Reynolds paid a visit to me, unexpectantly, and I left him alone with my laptop long enough that it is likely he read some of our email correspondence that he proceeded to give to Mr. Lee.”

“It is not your fault Maria,” Alex stated softly. “Truth be told, I’m surprised we were able to keep it under wraps as long as we did.”

She turned to her grandfather. “Your Majesty,” she bowed her head before turning her attention to Washington, the two seemingly having a brief staring contest. “Mr. President.”

With those words she left the office with Maria, the door shutting softly behind her. Nicolás released a heavy sigh before looking at Washington. “I believe I shall take my leave now, President Washington.”

He stepped forward and held out his hand which the American president took. “Despite the circumstances, it was nice to meet you again,” he allowed himself to smirk. “Especially since you were actually conscious for it.”

Washington blinked before chuckling, allowing his mouth to twitch upwards. “Yes, I believe we’re in agreement about that.”

Nicolás returned the smile before nodding to his bodyguards, who trailed after him as he left the office. The doors closed softly behind him and engulfed the Oval Office and its occupants into a stunned silence.

Laurens was the one to break it first. “That…That just happened right, I’m not going to wake up and this is all going to be a dream?”

“I’m afraid not,” Washington replied quietly, watching as his Chief of Staff began to pace the room. “I understand you are likely feeling upset…”

“With all due respect, Mr. President,” Angelica cut in politely. “Upset is a bit of a understatement, I’m…hurt that Alex didn’t tell me about it.”

Washington frowned, opening his mouth to defend his former aide when Lafayette beat him to it. “You heard what His Majesty said: they wanted to keep it under wraps, likely because they wanted Alex to continue to have a normal life as long as possible.”

“But still!” Laurens chose to add his two cents in. “To have this dropped on us all of a sudden, adjusting to such a huge piece of news is going to be hard—”

“I imagine Alex felt the same way when _she_ was first informed,” Washington remarked dryly, and Angelica got the distinct feeling that she was about to be lectured. “I know this is hard on all of you, and I’m not saying you don’t have the right to be angry, but I think you’re forgetting about how Alex is likely feeling.”

He watched Angelica and Laurens adopt struck expressions and continued, “she’s been told she’s the only heir to a country she knows very little about, that one day she’ll be Queen; Alex is resilient, none of us can deny that, but even this is something she would struggle with.”

Washington took a deep breath, focusing his gaze on a paperweight placed on his desk. “And now she will be forced into that role instead of being eased into it like she and her grandfather wanted, she’ll suddenly be the center of attention and have to deal with people who know nothing about her judging her and questioning her every move.”

He lifted his eyes and stared intently at a thoroughly chastised Angelica and Laurens. “As I said before, you are right to be angry, but I am asking you to be supportive of Alex because she needs your friendship right now more than ever.”

There was a beat and then Angelica cleared her throat. “I think I’ll go see if Alex—Her Highness needs help with cleaning out her office.” She stumbles a bit, as if she’s unsure of how she should address her surrogate sister.

Laurens quickly suggests he do the same thing and the two exit the office. Washington lets out a heavy sigh and sits down for the first time since everything had happened.

He casually glances over at Lafayette who had been rather quiet throughout the conversation. “I get the feeling you weren’t actually surprised to learn who Alex is.”

The Frenchman hummed, his gaze fixed on a point on the wall. “Given my title I have interacted with the Nevisian nobility a few times—though I never met the King before today—but I know that Alex’s mother’s name was Raquel and that the King had a daughter by the same name.”

He shifted his gaze back to the President, a wry smile on his face. “I didn’t really think much of it, many people have the same name, but…it was always in the back of my head.”

Washington nodded, folding his hands in front of him and staring down at the resignation letter he hadn’t read. “How do you think the country will react to her?”

The question is so quiet that Lafayette almost didn’t hear it. He paused, thinking intently about his response before he slowly replied, “My experience with the Nevisian public is limited, some will probably adore her while others will balk at her being American and illegitimate.”

“As for the nobility,” Lafayette let out a heavy scoff. “While the Nevisian royal family is no where near as inbred as some of the other royal houses of Europe…most of the nobility has a connection, albeit distant, to the royal family which means they’re technically in the line of succession.”

“Many of them were banking on the fact that, with Crown Prince Juan’s death, they were the next in line but now? That’s not happening, and they’re not going to pleased that they’ve been usurped by an unknown American woman, let alone one who’s illegitimate.”

“I see,” Washington replied after a pause and Lafayette seemed to be watching him carefully, his expression not giving anything away. “Is there anything else I can help with you Mr. President?”

“No, that will be all.”

The French aide nodded and left, the door closing behind him softly and leaving Washington to his own thoughts. His gaze landed on the resignation letter while his mind was left to wander.

He couldn’t deny that he was worried for Alex as he was very aware of how difficult being in a public role could be: your every move was watched and questioned, if you made even the slightest mistake you were instantly crucified not to mention having to deal with the people who saw your title instead of an actual person.

Alex had watched him go through that for the entirety of their professional relationship and, beyond that one argument she had with Jefferson that made the headlines, she was relatively anonymous. Now, however, she would be thrust into the spotlight.

Washington shook his head, if Alex became aware of his thoughts she would probably berate him for thinking that she couldn’t handle herself. Her determination would allow her to preserve and her sharp tongue would assist her when dealing with those who doubted her.

With a fond smile the former Virginian senator opened the letter and finally began reading it, letting the familiar tone of Alex shine through the words on the paper and wash over him as if they were an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter became a lot longer than I originally expected it to be, probably because of the parts with the Nevisian royal household. 
> 
> *shrugs* Oh Well
> 
> There wasn't a lot of Alex in this chapter, but honestly, the focus was on how everyone around her reacted to her secret being revealed. The majority of the next chapter will be focused on her, considering it involves her official introduction as Crown Princess of Nevis.
> 
> The next chapter will also introduce a certain spy on the inside as well as touching moments between Alex and her friends (which includes a Whamilton moment or two that will hopefully make you guys squeal with glee).


	7. Presenting the Crown Princess of Nevis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Alex's introduction has arrived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out a lot longer than I expected it to

_“In other news, King Nicolás of Nevis’s heir has been revealed as Alex Hamilton, an aide to President Washington; sources say she’s the only child of the late Princess Raquel, who famously vanished from the public eye in the early nineties…”_

Alex let out a huff as she glared at the cheery reporter on the screen. Every single news channel had been reporting on the same thing since the article hit, the fact that King Nicolás had a secret granddaughter who was an American citizen that formerly worked for the President is a pretty big story.

“I really don’t know why you are insisting on watching that,” Eliza noted as she leaned over her friend’s shoulder to grab the remote, quickly turning off the tv and ignoring Alex’s protests. “You already know what they’re going to say.”

“Yes, but,” Alex began as she tried to grab the remote. “I want to see what the Nevisian media is saying.”

“Alex, I have known you for years and you have never _once_ cared about the media,” Eliza pointed out, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. “Why are you caring now?”

“Because,” Alex turned to face her friend and Eliza was struck by the serious expression on her face. “The way they report, what they say about me? It will be the first impression the Nevisian people have of me.

“To them, I’m basically some unknown American woman who will one day be their Queen and I have to know what I will be facing from them.”

And in that instance, Eliza knew what was troubling her friend: Alex had always set out to portray herself as confident, not caring about anyone’s opinions, but, buried underneath all her bravado and nonchalant attitude, was someone who still carried the scars of her father’s abandonment with her.

She’d deny it fiercely if you asked her, but a part of Alex would always fear being rejected simply because of who she was and that made Eliza hurt for her friend.

“They’ll love you, they will,” Eliza insisted when she saw Alex let out a snort of disbelief. “Because you are a brilliant person who has always been full of compassion and will undoubtedly try your hardest and isn’t that what one wants in their future monarch?”

Alex felt her cheeks flush slightly and her mouth twitched upwards. “You always know how to make me feel better Betsy.”

Eliza returned the smile, glancing down and pulling her phone when she heard it vibrating. Alex watched her stare at the screen, her mouth twitching up in amusement.

“What is it?” Alex asked curiously, watching as her friend rose from the couch and made her way to the door.

“It would appear we have some visitors who are rather eager to see us,” Eliza remarked dryly as she opened the door to reveal a smirking Angelica and a grinning Peggy.

“Hello, Your Royal Highness,” Peggy stated in a teasing tone, causing Eliza and Angelica to sigh while Alex chuckled. “You’re never going to tire of saying that, are you?”

“Probably not,” Peggy replied cheerfully as she entered, waving enthusiastically at Nathan who hid his smile with a practised cough.

“Did you have to deal with any reporters?”

Eliza wondered, watching Angelica shrug off her coat and hang it up. Her older sister rolled her eyes, letting out a huff. “Yes, they’re camping out front, honestly you would think there would be a story about a kid stuck down a well they could go chase or whatever.”

Alex let out a soft chuckle, her gaze absently trailing to the window. Since the news had broke, she hadn’t really been able to leave her apartment and she winced when she thought of what her neighbours were probably thinking about such a disruption.

Well, lucky for them, the reporters would be gone very soon.

“So, when exactly does your introduction start?”

Peggy’s question brought Alex out of her thoughts as she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. “According to my grandfather, the party starts at six but I need to be there for around five so we can go over my dress.”

Apparently, her grandfather had contacted a Nevisian designer, who had tailored quite a few of his suits, to design her dress: in fact, they had actually discussed it even before the whole Lee debacle had happened.

Her grandfather—and Maria, for that matter—weren’t saying much but from what she had been able to get out of them the designer had made three dresses that she could choose from.

And there was the tiara and jewellery that had been shipped from Nevis which she would wear based on what dress she chose…

Alex shook her head, her mind whirling with thoughts that threatened to consume her as she looked over to see Angelica staring at her phone with a furrowed expression.

“What has you looking so pensive Angie?” Eliza questioned, glancing at her sister with a curious expression.

Angelica sighed. “It’s the President, he wants me to—”

She hesitated here, her gaze wandering to Alex who was able to quickly put together what she wasn’t voicing and gave her a gentle smile.

“He wants you to start looking for another aide, doesn’t he?”

Peggy’s eyes widened as she looked from Alex to Angelica. “It’s a bit soon, isn’t it, I mean…”

“It _has_ been a week,” Eliza pointed out softly. “He can’t just leave an empty position.”

“Yeah, he’s already had a lot of applications being sent so he’s asking me to look through them,” Angelica stated, glancing back down at her phone.

“It’s fine,” Alex insisted, ignoring the unfamiliar feeling welling up in her chest. “I’m not irreplaceable, I’m sure the President will find a suitable replacement.”

“Actually, you kind of are,” Angelica pointed out with a smirk. “The President said, and I quote “look for an aide who meets the bare minimum requirements as that’s all we can hope to find,”

Alex could feel her cheeks heating before she cleared her throat. “Well, I hope the President finds someone who fits his needs.”

Alex was pointedly ignoring the warm feeling she felt at hearing that the President knew he couldn’t find someone to do the duties she personally had done.

It was nothing, really, nothing at all right?

* * *

 

“Forgive us for the delay, Your Majesty, there was a bit of a traffic issue,”

Andre apologized as he entered the hotel room, causing Nicolás to chuckle. “It’s fine Major, I’m just glad you got here.”

Andre gave the king a soft grin before stepping aside just as a tall man hurried through the door carrying dry-cleaner bags. He had short, dark curly hair with a headband and was dressed in a rather fancy suit.

“Alejandra, may I present Major John Andre and Hercules Mulligan,” Nicolás introduced the two men to his granddaughter, who stood up and held out her hand for them to shake.

“It is an honor to meet you Your Highness,” Andre stated as he shook her hand, a small smile on his face. Alex returned the smile. “The honor is mine, Major Andre, I’ve heard a lot about you,”

“All good things, I hope?”

Alex opened her mouth to reply but was distracted when she saw Mulligan begin to unzip the dry-cleaner bags. “Are…are those dresses made for _me_?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Mulligan replied as he hung up the dresses. “I certainly hope they meet your expectations.”

Alex didn’t respond as she walked over to the dresses, carefully fingering the fabric of each and staring at them in awe.

The first dress was a red off-the-shoulder dress with a sweetheart neckline and ruffled sleeves. It was beautiful, but a small part of Alex whispered that maybe she shouldn’t wear something so flashy for her introduction.

The second dress was also off-the-shoulder (Alex sensed a theme) but was navy blue with short sleeves and lace embroidery across the front of the chest and continuing in a line to the waist of the dress where a separate line of embroidery went down to the bottom of her skirt.

The third dress was the one that she felt drawn to the most: it was a dark green draped tulle ballgown with a sculpted sweetheart bodice and off-the-shoulder silver embellished cap sleeves.

Alex wasn’t quite sure what exactly drew her to this dress, maybe it was the fact that it was her favorite color or maybe because it was—objectively—the simplest of the three dresses, but she knew that this was the dress she wanted.

“A fine choice, Your Highness,” Hercules said with a smile as he took the dress off the hanger and handed it to her.

Alex smiled softly, thanking him before heading into the bathroom. She quickly changed into the dress and found herself staring at herself in the mirror.

The dress fitted her perfectly—not surprising considering her grandfather gave Hercules her measurements—but she couldn’t help but feel awkward.

This was a beautiful dress, made out of fine fabric and designed perfectly for a princess but…Alex did not feel like a princess.

“Your Highness? It’s Hercules, may I come in?”

Alex blinked when she heard the low voice rumble and called out, “Yes,”

The door opened and, in the reflection of the mirror, she could see the burly designer enter the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

He stared for a few seconds, which made Alex feel slightly nervous, before he finally said, “You look stunning, Your Highness,”

The Nevisian princess couldn’t help but let out a snort of disbelief, causing Hercules to frown. “You don’t like the dress?”

“No, no,” Alex hurried to reassure the designer, turning around to face him. “It’s beautiful, it really is, it’s just…well…”

She trailed off, catching his gaze in the mirror and she saw realization spread across his face. “You don’t think _you_ are beautiful,”

It was a statement, not a question and Alex felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment. “The dress is stunning, it’s perfect, but I can’t help but think it would look better on someone more suited to the dress—”

Hercules shook his head, stepping forward to gently put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around so she could see herself in the mirror.

“The dress _is_ suited to you, Your Highness, because I made it so,” he began intently. “I see a brilliant and gorgeous woman who is ready to make her mark, the dress is simply an accessory that cannot stand on its own.”

“ _You_ are what makes the dress, Your Highness,”

Alex felt a soft smile spread across her face. “Do you say this to all your clients Mr. Mulligan?” Hercules chuckled in response. “Only those who doubt themselves, and please, call me Hercules,”

Alex shot him a soft grin. “Then I must ask that you call me Alex.”

“Very well, Alex.”

The two of them shared another grin before Alex moved past him to exit the bathroom, taking a deep breath as she stepped outside where her grandfather and Andre were waiting.

Nicolás blinked, his eyes slightly watering as he said in a hoarse voice, “You look…you look stunning, Alejandra.”

Alex felt her eyes begin to tear slightly. “If you make me cry before my introduction, Abu, I don’t think I will forgive you.”

That got a chuckle out of the men, Andre’s mouth turning up in a bright smile before he cleared his throat and made his way over to where a green velvet box sat.

“This,” Andre began as he opened the box. “Will be your jewellery for the evening, Your Highness, if it meets your approval of course.”

Alex walked over and saw that it was a diamond and emerald parure with a tiara, necklace and earrings. The tiara was in the kokoshnik style with large round emeralds framed by diamonds and connected with delicate diamond work and the necklace and earrings were clearly designed to at least mimic the style.

Alex couldn’t help but stare, almost reaching out to touch the jewels before pulling her hand back. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see her grandfather stand next to her.

“Your mother wore this for her eighteenth birthday,” he explained, looking lost in memories as he stared at the jewellery. “Her mother—your grandmother—had also worn this set for her first state banquet, so I suppose Raquel chose it for sentimental reasons,”

He turned to look at his granddaughter with a soft smile. “There is other jewellery that I intended to give to your mother, but well…”

Alex heard him trail off and nodded, her throat closing up as her grandfather carefully lifted the tiara out of the box and placed it on her head.

He took a step back and she watched his mouth turn up in a wide smile as he declared, “It’s a perfect fit,”

“I agree, Your Majesty,” Andre replied, his eyes twinkling in amusement. “The tiara perfectly suits the princess.”

Alex slowly turned, ignoring the heat in her cheeks as she faced the mirror and was unable to hold back the soft gasp that escaped her.

Her hair had been pulled up into a French twist, the tiara glittering where it rested on her head while her dress hugged her body like a glove, the skirt flowing outwards.

There were still doubts lingering in the back of her mind, but maybe she was more of a princess than she thought.

Andre cleared his throat. “What do you say we put on the other jewellery, Your Highness?”

Alex turned to face him, her eyes twinkling as she smiled brightly. “I think that is a perfect idea Major Andre.”

* * *

 

Alex shifted her feet as she waited in the hall, Nathan and Deborah standing nearby with half a dozen other nameless suits nearby.

“Your Highness,” Andre said as he made his way over to her with a gentle smile. “It’s time.”

Alex nodded and took a deep breath, slowly turning towards the doorway as he heard her grandfather say, “…It is my pleasure to introduce to you all my granddaughter…”

The door opened and she walked through, feeling all eyes turn to her as she made her way over to her grandfather who smiled proudly as he stepped back from the podium.

She nervously stepped towards the podium, unconsciously glancing out into the crowd where she saw her friends giving her warm and encouraging smiles, even Burr had a small smile on his face.

She gifted them a warm smile of her own before clearing her throat. “Thank you all for being here,” she began, hoping her voice wasn’t shaky. “Most people would believe that this is a sacrifice, that I’m giving up my old life for a new, uncertain life but I do not view it as such,”

She paused before continuing, feeling her confidence surge. “To me, this is simply the closing of an old chapter so that I can begin the next chapter of my life.”

She then caught Washington’s eye, who stood surrounded by his Secret Service. He blinked briefly before shaking himself, giving her a small nod and a warm smile that made something inside her chest warm in response.

Alex quickly removed her gaze from her former boss and redirected her attention. “I promise to you that the rest of my life shall be dedicated to the service of my people and country.”

“I know that my uncle and cousin were beloved by you, and that in comparison I am little more than a stranger,” she raised her head high, feeling the courage in her veins. “Which is why I wish to get to know you as much as you wish to get to know me, because it is my wish that we go on this new and strange journey together.”

“This is a new beginning,” she allowed herself to give what she hoped was a warm and reassuring smile. “For me, for you and for Nevis.”

“Once I was Alex Hamilton,” she said as she glanced at her grandfather. “But from this moment onwards I choose to be Alejandra Raquel Hamilton Faucette,” she paused before gifting the room with a bright, gentle smile. “Crown Princess of Nevis.”

The room was suddenly filled with cheering and loud applause, and a part of Alex thought that her friends might be cheering the loudest.

Her grandfather stepped forward and placed the green sash of the Order of the Lynx—Nevis’s chivalric order—over her shoulder and pinned the matching medal to it.

She curtsied to her grandfather, who smiled before taking her hand in his as he raised his other hand to get the room’s attention. “To my granddaughter, Crown Princess Alejandra!”

“To Crown Princess Alejandra!”

The room cried out as they raised their glasses to her, causing her to flush slightly. She saw Washington out of her eye and felt her face turn redder when he winked at her.

She looked out at the room, filled with Nevisian nobility and government officials who had travelled for the announcement as well as reporters from every major newspaper.

Washington and his staff were the only non-Nevisians to be invited, out of courtesy to Alex: the rest were allies of her grandfather, though she did notice a couple people shooting her dirty looks and she resisted the urge to return them.

It was clear that she hadn’t won over everyone—she didn’t expect to—but hopefully she could show them that she truly meant it when she said she would dedicate the rest of her life to her people and country.

There were still demons lurking in the back of her mind that kept trying to make her doubt herself, telling her that she would never be a good princess or queen, but she ignored them because they had been telling her that since her mother died and she had—eventually—learned to not listen to them.

She _was_ the Crown Princess of Nevis and, one day, she would be the best Queen.

* * *

 

“Your Highness, may I present Baron Friedrich von Stueben?”

Alex turned to face the older man who bowed to her. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Baron Von Stueben, I’ve heard that you are an old friend of my grandfather?”

von Stueben chuckled loudly, giving her a wide grin. “Yes, I’ve known him since he was just a prince, in fact I stood beside him when he married Elena.”

Alex couldn’t help but return his grin, there was something about the baron that was contagious. He reminded her of her grandfather, though less stern and more cheerful.

A part of her wondered if her grandfather had been the same, before the death of his brother and parents forced him to grow up.

“I also knew your mother very well,” Alex blinked when she saw his expression become softer. “You did?”

“Yes, I was the first one after her parents to hold her,” he replied. “In fact, I was her godfather; I could tell you stories about her, if you want.”

Alex inhaled sharply, fighting the tears that threatened to rise. “I would like that very much Baron von Stueben.”

“Please,” von Stueben insisted with a gentle smile as he grasped her hands. “Call me Friedrich.”

Alex returned the smile. “Very well, Friedrich.” He bowed to her before taking his leave as his name was called by someone else.

Feeling as if she was suffocating she headed towards the nearest balcony, thankful that it was empty so no one would bother her.

She felt the cold air as she stepped out onto the balcony and let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the railing.

Footsteps sounded from behind her as a low voice spoke, startling her. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to find you out here,”

She whirled around to see Washington approach her, a small smile on his face. “Mr. President!”

“Your Highness,” Washington bowed his head. “Do you mind if I join you?”

Alex nodded and watched as he came to stand beside her, looking out from the balcony while remarking in a quiet tone, “I noticed that, in your resignation letter, you didn’t mention you would be the Crown Princess of Nevis,”

He turned to look at her and saw she had become very quiet. “I suppose that is a rather shocking thing to put in a resignation letter, but I would have liked a head-ups.”

In his defense he said in a rather joking tone, but it still made Alex wince and she swore she heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like Eliza whisper _“I told you so_ ”

“The reason I didn’t put in the resignation letter is because I didn’t want you to look at me different.”

Washington blinked, not sure if he heard her correctly. “Why would I look at you differently?”

“Because…” Alex made a frustrated gesture with her hands. “Because I’m now the Crown Princess of Nevis, which means I’m no longer Alex Hamilton and—”

“Hamilton—Your Highness,” Washington automatically corrected himself then realized when she winced that he was unintentionally proving her fears true. “Hamilton, just because you’re the Crown Princess of Nevis doesn’t mean you’re no longer Alex.”

He gave her a reassuring smile. “You’re still the same as the twenty-year old I met seven years ago, if a bit less likely to start arguments.”

Alex let out a chuckle, causing Washington to grin before his expression softened. “You’ll always be Alex to me, even with a crown.”

Alex felt her cheeks heat as a warm feeling filled her chest, giving her former boss a gentle smile. “Thank you for that Mr. President.”

“Please,” Washington insisted in a quiet tone. “Call me George.”

Alex opened her mouth to protest—surely, she can’t address him so familiarly—but she closed it, realizing that they were no longer boss and employee.

Obviously when interacting with each other in their professional duties they would have to use the proper terms of address, but when it’s just them, they can be more familiar.

“Very well Mr. Pres—George,” Alex caught herself, feeling her cheeks flush when he let out a warm laugh that made her smile. “Then I suppose you can call me Alejandra.”

She was used to Washington addressing her as Alex—he had always been very familiar with his employees—but Alejandra was the name she would now go by (mostly) so it felt right for him to use it.

“Alejandra,” Washington tested her name on his lips and Alex felt a shiver go down her spine, for some reason the way he said her name—her full name—gave her a jittery feeling.

“It is nice to formally meet you Alejandra,” Washington stated with a smile as he held out his hand. Alex, catching on to what he was doing, returned his smile and took the offered hand. “It is nice to meet you as well, George.”

As the two of them stood there on the open balcony holding hands Alex felt like everything had fallen into place and maybe, just maybe, this new chapter of her life wouldn’t be so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Alex has officially been introduced as Nevis's Crown Princess and her and Washington have begun the shift from boss-employee to friends (and of course, more)
> 
> So originally I tried to post the links for Alex's dresses and tiara here, but they kept showing up as no follow, so instead, I'm going to post them on my Tumblr which is MissWriteress under the story inspiration tag.
> 
> If anyone wants to see what the dresses, tiara and hairstyle look like, check out my Tumblr (link is on my profile) and also feel free to send me any questions about any of my stories (just be aware I'm moving back to college in about a week, so I may not be able to answer them quickly)


	8. Welcome to Nevis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex touches down in Nevis, meets her staff and attends a fancy ball
> 
> She also begins thinking about her charities and approaches it like she does everything: with 500% focus and passion.

“Your Highness?”

Alex heard a soft voice whisper to her and slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she tried to adjust to her surroundings.

She had fallen asleep on the private jet, she remembered faintly as she sat up, and felt her cheeks flush when she saw Maria smiling softly at her.

“How long was I asleep for?”

Alex asked in a sheepish tone and Maria chuckled. “Two hours, Your Highness,”

“I would have let you sleep longer, but I thought you might like to see Nevis,” Maria explained, gesturing with her head towards the window.

She watched with amusement as the crown princess turned her head, her eyes lighting up when she stared out the window.

They were still too far up for Alex to get a close look, but even at their current height, she could see the outline of a castle with rolling hills and a mountain range in the background.

“That’s the Albatana Palace,” Alex jumped when she heard her grandfather’s low voice, turning to see him smiling at her. “King Felipe V had it built as a country palace, but since 1974 it’s been used for foreign state guests.”

Alex nodded, knowing from her lessons that the royal family had nine palaces; two were not used as residences, one was a summer residence, and five were used when the family was in the regions the palaces were located in.

“It’s beautiful,” she stated in a quiet tone, trying to wrap her head around the fact that it—technically— belonged to her, along with the other palaces including the one she would be living in.

Considering she had previously been living in a studio apartment, it was quite the adjustment.

“It is,” Nicolás agreed, winking at her. “But personally, I much prefer the Zorera Palace.”

“I think I would too, based on how you described it,” Alex said with a grin that her grandfather returned.

“You will love it, Your Highness,” Andre stated as he joined the conversation, taking the seat across from her. “Its library is the largest of the palaces.”

Alex chuckled, her cheeks turning a bright pink. “Am I that obvious Major Andre?” He chuckled in reply.

“ _Attention all passengers, we are approaching the Castello Airport and are beginning our descent, please prepare for landing,”_

The pilot’s voice came over the intercom and Alex felt the nervousness that had gone away when she had fallen asleep rise in her chest again.

She knew there were likely reporters waiting to take pictures as soon as they got off the plane, as well as people who wished to meet their new crown princess for the first time, and she tried to push down the dread she felt.

 “We’ve landed, Your Majesty.”

Alex watched her grandfather nod to the pilot who removed his hat and bowed before re-entering the cockpit.

Nicolás stood and held out her hand, his eyes warm as he asked her, “Are you ready Alejandra?”

Alex took a deep breath, readying herself as she took the offered hand with a soft smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be Abu.”

He helped her up and they made their way to the door of the plane. Nervously she fixed her outfit, a short-sleeve navy blue dress with a boatneck and a white trenchcoat with an open front and belt paired with a pair of white flats, while her grandfather descended the stairs first as was protocol.

She heard the sounds of yelling and cameras flashing and took another deep breath before she began her own descent.

Alex resisted the urge to flinch and instead smiled brightly and waved as she made her way down the steps. The instant her feet touched the ground a little girl around five years old shyly approached with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, going into a deep curtsy as she presented the bouquet to Alex.

Alex, after a brief moment of shock, took the offered flowers from the little girl. “Thank you,” she bent down slightly. “What’s your name?”

The little girl blushed and looked down, mumbling something towards her feet to Alex’s amusement. A woman stepped forward—the girl’s mother Alex presumed—curtsying to her. “Her name is Marisol, Your Highness.”

“That is a very beautiful name,” the crown princess said to Marisol, who gave her a shy smile before hiding behind her mother.

A soft cough sounded from behind her and Alex moved on after saying her goodbyes to both Marisol and her mother.

It was oddly easy for her to ignore the cameras as she greeted the other people who had come out to see the return of their king.

Time passed and before she knew it she was saying goodbye to the last person before being hustled into the car where her grandfather was waiting with a twinkle in his eyes.

“You did very well Alejandra,” Nicolás stated as the car began moving. “It will become easier, dealing with the public, now the nobility on the other hand…”

Alex let out a very unladylike snort before flushing in embarrassment. She quickly turned her head to look out at the window at the gathered crowds lining the streets.

She wasn’t entirely sure how long they had been driving before the Zorera Palace came into view and she heard herself let out a soft gasp.

The palace was made of white stone with Nevis’s flag flying proudly, the gates that protected the palace from the outside world looming rather imposingly. There was a wrap around balcony in the front and above that was a clock with the coat of arms of the Faucette family.

Still in awe, Alex turned to her grandfather who said in an amused tone, “Welcome to Nevis, my dear Alejandra.”

_Welcome indeed_ , she thought to herself before following her grandfather as she took the first step towards her new life.

* * *

 

“Your Majesty!”

Was the first thing Alex heard when she and her grandfather entered the palace, her grandfather let out a sigh next to her. “Can I at least get my granddaughter settled before you bombard me?”

Alex turned to see an older man with slightly grey hair combed to the right shake his head. “I’m afraid not, Your Majesty, your little trip to Washington left you with a lot of work you need to catch up on.”

Nicolás sighed, before turning to his granddaughter with a gentle smile. “Forgive me for not introducing you, may I present Henry Clinton, Head of the Royal Household and one of my oldest and dearest friends.”

Clinton bowed his head to Alex. “A pleasure, Your Highness.”

“I’ve heard many things about you Mr. Clinton,” Alex replied, expecting him to do as Andre did and make a joke, but instead he only nodded stiffly to her before turning his attention back to her grandfather.

“If you would follow me, Your Majesty.”

Nicolás gave her an apologetic smile before following Clinton, his bodyguards close behind. Alex frowned and turned to look at Andre and Maria who looked resigned.

“Our apologies, Your Highness, Clinton has always been a rather stern man,” Andre explained, shaking his head before gesturing in front of him. “If you would like, I could give you a tour?”

“That would be wonderful, Major Andre.”

And thus, Alex was led around the palace with Andre explaining everything and Maria chiming in every once and a while with amusing little anecdotes, such as an incident that apparently involved Andre getting locked inside the armory for five hours.

Just as Andre had predicted, Alex had fallen in love with the library as soon as she saw it: the shelves reached the tall ceilings and were completely filled with books with various cozy nooks for reading strategically placed around.

“I suppose if you should ever go missing, we will at least know where to look,” Andre noted dryly as he watched the princess run her fingers over the spines of the books.

Alex gave him a wide grin over her shoulder. “I suppose you will,”

The last stop on the tour, however, was Alex’s suite. They stopped in front of a set of antique double doors and Andre gestured for the two footmen standing on either side to open the doors.

When they did, Alex once again let out a soft gasp as she slowly stepped into the room. It was easily twice the size of her old apartment and done in neutral tones of soft greys and blues.

There was a sitting area done in the same colors with a large bay window seat and a desk pushed up against one wall. There was also a marble fireplace with a large screen tv above it.

The bedroom had a large king antique bed with a bench placed at the foot of it, the sheets being made out of Egyptian silk (or so Alex was informed). Her bathroom was made out of marble and had a large jacuzzi tub that Alex could easily fit in—though, given her small stature, it didn’t really say much.

The closet, however, was one of the more surprising features: it could easily count as its own apartment, especially when you added in the dressing room.

Drawers and shelves lined the walls filled with shoes and dresses and jewelry. Her grandfather had apparently gone through the royal treasury and picked out some tiaras he thought would suit her, which were now displayed in glass cases.

“Does the room fit your approval, Your Highness?”

Andre question as he watched Alex run her hand over the dress she had worn for her introduction ball. She turned her head to give him a small smile, still trying to absorb everything as she replied, “Yes it does.”

She heard the doors to her suite open and exited the closet only to stare in bewilderment at the large group of people that had arrived.

“Ah, I was wondering when they would arrive,” Maria stated calmly as she came to stand beside her princess, Andre on the other.

“Your Highness, I would like to introduce you to your staff,” Andre began and Alex’s look of confusion vanished and was instead replaced by a mask of professionalism.

“First I would like you to meet your maids,” Andre nodded to the two women dressed in traditional maid uniforms who curtsied quickly.

 “I’m Sarah, Your Highness,” the woman with light blonde—almost red—hair explained as she nodded her head politely.

“And I’m Sybil,” the one with darker hair stated, imitating the same gesture.

Alex gave both women a quick smile before her attention was redirected to a woman with brown hair and a warm expression.

“Miss Anna Strong, who will be your Press Secretary,” Anna curtsied, giving Alex a bright smile. “It is an honor to be serving you, Your Highness.”

“It will be a pleasure to have you, I’m sure,” Alex replied, causing the woman to let out a soft laugh.

“Mary Woodhull, Molly Pitcher and Robert Townsend who will be joining Deborah and Nathan as your security detail,”

The three bowed their heads to her and Alex got the distinct impression that they were _very_ serious about their job, which she supposed was a good thing.

“And finally, there is Lady Margaret Shippen and Miss Philomena Cheer, your ladies-in-waiting.”

Margaret curtsied. “Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me or Philomena, Your Highness,”

“Yes,” Philomena agreed as she copied the gesture. “We are here to help.”

“I shall be sure to take you up on that offer, I would appreciate any help you can give me,” Alex stated honestly and was rewarded with bright smiles from the two women.

“There is, of course, the matter of your private secretary who you are already well-acquainted with,” Andre added, looking over at Maria with a soft smile who looked stunned when she realized what he was saying.

“The King was very appreciative of your help during his visit to Washington and decided that there was no one better suited to be his granddaughter’s private secretary.”

“I, for one, agree with my grandfather’s assessment,” Alex gave Maria an encouraging look. “I have no doubt you will excel at your job.”

Maria flushed, her lips twitching upwards into a smile. “I certainly hope so, Your Highness.”

“And that is all the introductions; there are other members of the staff, but you’ll meet them as you get settled in.”

Alex nodded, absently glancing over her shoulder at her closet. “Are there any engagements happening tonight?”

Andre blinked in confusion before he replied, “Yes there’s a welcome back dinner for His Majesty at six; the prime minister and other important figures will be attending.

“So, I have about three hours until I need to start getting dressed,” Alex mused, unaware of the shocked expression that crossed the major’s face. “That gives me a bit of time then.”

“Your Highness,” Andre stopped himself, rethinking his words before he continued. “His Majesty was under the impression that you would like a few days to settle in before taking on official engagements.”

He watched the brunette wrinkle her nose in confusion. “Why would I? I mean, yes I’d like to unpack and maybe go spend some time in the library, but I want to go out and start meeting my people,”

“There’s no reason for me to wait a few days, the sooner I start working the sooner I can figure out what charities I want to support and can actually do something.”

Andre opened his mouth to make another comment but instead closed it with a smile, shaking his head.

He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised: from what he found out, Alex was a hard-worker, never quite content to sit still or just lay around.

“Very well, Your Highness, we’ll leave you to unpack and let you know when you should start getting ready for the event.”

Alex nodded her agreement and her new staff bowed and curtsied to her before taking their leave. Alex exhaled sharply before turning her attention to her suitcases, which had been brought in without her realizing it.

“Well, I suppose I should get started,” she muttered as she grabbed her first suitcase and began unpacking.

After all, she had a busy evening ahead of her.

* * *

 

“Alright, you can do this Alex, you’ve done this before,”

Alex muttered to herself as she stared at herself in the full-length mirror of her closet, smoothing down any remaining wrinkles in her dress.

She had decided to wear the red dress Hercules had previously made with her hair pulled into a tucked updo style and wore a diamond openwork trellis design tiara that was set throughout with rose diamonds and decorated with three flower head cluster motifs set with circular-cut diamonds with a ruby and diamond flower necklace and matching drop earrings.

The look was complete with a pair of red velvet pumps that made her a few inches taller than she would be normally.

There was a knock at the door before Andre’s voice drifted through the wood. “Your Highness?”

“Come in,” she called back and the door open to reveal the major dressed in uniform, he bowed his head to her.

“You look very stunning Your Highness,” Andre complimented her, causing Alex to blush. “His Majesty is waiting for you.”

Alex nodded, taking a deep breath before she followed Andre. Mary and Robert fell into step behind her, their footsteps an odd comfort to her.

They arrived at the door that led to the staircase descending into the ballroom where her grandfather was waiting patiently. Alex jealously admired the fact that her grandfather looked completely calm, something she hoped she would eventually learn.

“Are you ready Alejandra?”

Nicolás asked her as he held out his arm for her to take. Alex gave him a soft smile as she slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.

“Always.”

They took their positions and waited until they heard the person announce “Presenting His Majesty King Nicolás of Nevis and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Alejandra of Nevis” before they walked through the doors as they were opened.

Alex felt her stomach begin to turn when she saw every single person in the ballroom staring at her before they bowed and curtsied to her as was protocol.

She felt something squeeze her hand and looked up to see her grandfather give her a reassuring wink before they began descending the stairs.

Almost as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs they were approached by two men who Alex recognized as the Nevisian Prime Minister Bernardo de Gálvez and the Foreign Minister Thomas Gage.

“Your Majesty!” de Gálvez exclaimed in a boisterous tone. “It is wonderful to see you home safe and sound!”

Nicolás chuckled as he gave the man a soft grin. “It is wonderful to be home Bernardo,” he gestured at Alex. “May I present my granddaughter Alejandra,”

de Gálvez turned to face Alex with a far softer grin than the one he gave her grandfather, perhaps sensing her unease. “It is a pleasure to meet you Your Highness,”

He bowed dramatically to her and Alex gifted him with a soft giggle. He then lifted his head to give her a wink, an odd expression crossing his face.

“I must admit, when I first saw you I thought I was looking at Princess Raquel or even Queen Elena,” de Gálvez admitted, turning to his companion who had remained silent throughout the conversation. “Does she not look like them?”

Gage cleared his throat and Alex got the distinct impression he would get along with Clinton. “There is perhaps a little resemblance.”

“A little?” de Gálvez sputtered. “She is the spitting image of them when they were her age!”

Alex felt her face turn red and her grandfather, perhaps sensing her discomfort, let out an abrupt cough. “It was good to see you again gentlemen.”

The two men, hearing the polite dismissal in his tone, bowed their heads politely before heading over to someone else who was trying to get their attention.

“I’m sorry Alejandra, Bernardo is a good man but he can be a bit enthusiastic,” Nicolás apologized as he and Alex began walking.

“It’s alright,” she replied before falling silent and asking in a soft tone. “Does it upset you?”

She saw his questioning look and elaborated. “That I look so much like my mother and grandmother,”

Nicolás stopped, blinking as he tried to wrap his mind around what she just asked and how to formulate a response. “I’ll admit it did throw me for a loop, the first time I saw you.”

He smiled softly in remembrance as he stated, “You have their eyes, their curls, and even their smile, but it did not take me long to realize you weren’t a _complete_ copy of them.”

“You get your chin and your forehead from your father but your nose is all your own and of course,” he said this with a grin. “Your personality is all your own.”

“You may resemble them, Alejandra, but I know you are not them,”

Alex opened her mouth to speak but found she had no words to say so instead she just gave him a watery smile. “Thank you, Abu.”

The king gave her a wink before Clinton approached and took him away to where members of Parliament were waiting to speak to him, leaving Alex by herself.

She felt awkward just standing in the middle of the room so she began glancing around to see if she could find the drink when she heard a soft laugh from behind her.

“You look lost, Your Highness,” Alex whirled around to see a rather striking woman making her way towards her.

Brown curls were pinned to the back of her head and blue eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement as she held out her hand. “Kitty Fisher, at your service.”

“Charmed,” Alex managed as she reached out to take Kitty’s hand, blinking as the woman went into a deep curtsy, bowing her head before she raised it and gave her a smile.

“I must admit, you’re not what I expected,” The pretty brunette remarked and Alex felt herself stiffen as she narrowed her eyes.

“And what, may I ask, did you expect me to be Miss Fisher?”

Kitty blinked for a minute as Alex’s face turned red, realizing she may have just upset an important person before she was startled by the laugh let out by Kitty.

“Oh, I can already tell you will liven things up around here Your Highness,” she proclaimed as she took a bewildered Alex by the arm. “Are all Americans as outspoken as you?”

“Most are,” Alex replied dryly, rather amused by this woman. “Are Nevisians not?”

“Not those in the high-ranking positions,” Kitty replied as the two women began making their way towards the drink table. “Terrible bores, all of them, well except for the Prime Minister and Baron von Steuben.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you get an invitation to this ball?” Alex asked curiously, doubting this woman worked in the government (although she’d certainly met plenty of people you wouldn’t think were suitable for government jobs during her career).

“I ended up in bed with the right man,” Alex blinked, unsure if the woman was being serious or not. Kitty saw her expression and her lips twitched into a smile. “I am joking Your Highness, well sort of.”

“My husband was a member of Parliament until his death, I’m still invited to these things as a courtesy.”

“I am sorry for your loss,” Alex replied honestly and Kitty shook her head. “Don’t be, we were only married for a few months before he died.”

Alex opened her mouth but couldn’t find the right words, what did you say to that? How horrible must it be to lose your new spouse only months after you married…

“Don’t worry about me Your Highness,” Kitty said in a gentle tone. “I mourned for him, of course, but I knew John would not want me to be sad forever.”

Alex nodded as a passing waiter handed her and Kitty drinks. “So, what do you do now?”

“I mainly run my charities,” Kitty replied as she took a sip. “After John died, I started a foundation to raise awareness and money for lung cancer research and I also run another charity focused on giving women and girls the tools they need to succeed.”

“Really?”

Alex must have sounded interested because Kitty went into more depth about her charities, the two women became so wrapped up in their conversation that neither noticed Nicolás approaching them.

Initially, the king planned to introduce himself but he stopped when he saw Alex asking a lot of rapid-fire questions that Kitty—who looked to be both stunned and amused—was trying to keep up with and answer properly.

He wondered if she knew that she had likely just gained a patron in his granddaughter.

Deciding that it would probably be a good idea for him to let them know he was there Nicolás politely cleared his throat which startled the women out of their conversation.

“Your Majesty!”

Kitty exclaimed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment at the fact she didn’t realize he was standing there as she quickly curtsied. Alex copied the gesture, her cheeks equally flushed.

“Miss Fisher, I presume?” Nicolás asked as he held out his hand for her to shake. “I’ve heard many good things about you, you were certainly good at keeping my granddaughter interested.”

Kitty blinked before letting out a laugh, turning to give the crown princess a wink. “Well, your granddaughter is charming company, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, she is,” he agreed, causing Alex to let out a quiet huff, her lips twitching.

“Forgive me for leaving so abruptly, Your Majesty,” Kitty apologized as she glanced over her shoulder. “But it would appear some of my late husband’s colleagues wish to speak to me.”

Nicolás nodded his head and the woman curtsied again before leaving. He walked over to his granddaughter and held out his arm for her to take, turning to her with an expectant look as they began walking.

“Are you perhaps interested in Miss Fisher’s charities Alejandra?”

Alex nodded, her eyes lighting up. “Yes, did you know she’s helped get many women and girls interested in STEM programs? She’s also supported several women in setting up their own business and even quite a few girls who are still in school,”

“And she’s raised a lot of money for lung cancer research as well as…”

Nicolás let out a soft chuckle as he let his granddaughter continue to talk; it was clear she was very interested in Miss Fisher’s work and would likely do even more research about them.

He imagined she would have the same amount of interest in the other charities she chose to be a patron of and he knows that passion and energy will be an asset to her as she moved forward.

He waits until Alex is done talking before bringing up a couple of other charities Andre suggested she might be interested in and, as he sees her expression turn thoughtful, he knows she will be researching them as soon as she gets back to her suite.

I think she’ll do just fine, he thinks before he begins telling Alex a story about an encounter he just had with an MP that has her letting out a loud laugh and he feels his chest twitch when he sees the twinkle of laughter in her eyes that reminds him so much of his Elena.

She’s his granddaughter, alright, and he’ll do everything in his power to protect the fire that burns in her heart and the iron that surrounds her soul.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *tumbles out of a pile of papers and exams* I'M NOT DEAD!
> 
> So life kind of bit me in the butt, first I was sick, then my dog sadly passed away and then I just had a bunch of papers and exams and just a lot of things. I also had my birthday (I'm now 20!) but in general, it was just really, really busy. 
> 
> BUT I managed to finish this chapter, I did end up cutting out a bunch of my original ideas that I may or may not use in other chapters, and it ended up being WAY longer than I expected to, but it's done.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it and I apologize for the long wait


	9. First Day of Engangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex goes on her first engagements, connecting with the past and dealing with a bunch of doubting ministers

“Your Highness?”

Sarah asked as she knocked on the door to Alex’s room. She waited until she heard a muffled “come in” before she entered, nodding to Mary and Deborah who were standing outside.

The blonde resisted the urge to smile when she saw the princess sitting at her desk, her head buried in a folder.

Alex looked up and smiled when she saw Sarah, who gave her a quick curtsy. “Your Highness, I’m here to help you get ready for your first engagement.”

Nervousness settled on Alex’s face as she stood up, trying to keep herself from fidgeting while Sarah made her way over to the closet.

Alex had spent most of yesterday talking with her grandfather, going through various charities and picking a few that she was interested in and getting the engagements set up.

It wasn’t as much as she would have wanted, but Nicolás insisted that she take it _somewhat_ slow, at least for her first few engagements.

Margaret arrived a few minutes later and both of them with Sarah’s help went through her clothes—some of which was new, some of which were clothes she had before and some were clothes she owned but never really had the chance to wear—and probably nayed at least four whole outfits before they both found an outfit they liked.

The outfit consisted of a green blouse with a bow, a black pencil skirt with gold buttons on the side and black pumps while Margaret had pulled her hair into a low bun.

“What do you think?”

Alex asked as she turned around in a circle, looking nervous as she waited for their opinion. 

Margaret smiled, clapping her hands together. “It looks perfect on you!”

Sarah, who had been quiet beyond a few comments, also nodded her head in agreement. “I agree, Your Highness, it suits you.”

Alex gave them both a gentle smile just as there was a knock on her door. Sarah walked over and opened it to reveal Maria, who was carrying a lot of folders in her arms.

She hastily curtsied, “Your Highness, I came to go over the schedule with you once more before we leave.”

Alex nodded, listening intently as Maria began speaking. “First, you’ll be a visit to Children’s Hope, it’s…”

“A charity that provides support for children facing abuse, neglect or trauma,” Alex finished with a soft smile. “I know.”

The instant she heard about it, she knew she wanted to visit it.

“Right,” Maria nodded, smiling softly. “After that, you’ll be paying a visit to the Nevisian Opportunity Foundation,”

Alex nodded. “Created by my grandfather shortly after he took the throne right?”

“Correct,” Maria gave her a proud smile. “After that will be the luncheon with the government officials.”

 “That’s everything,” Maria finished, closing her folder. “Do you want to go over it again?”

Alex shook her head as she exited the room, giving Mary and Deborah a smile when they left their posts and began to follow her. “No, I might skim them in the car, but I think that should be fine.”

Maria nodded and they went their separate ways as Alex headed to her grandfather’s quarters to have breakfast with him while Maria went to make last minute arrangements.  

“Alex, you look stunning; are you nervous?”

Nicolás said with a smile as he greeted his granddaughter with a kiss on the cheek. Alex returned the gesture, laughing softly while taking a seat. “Thank you, Abu, I just hope I don’t trip or something.”

The king chuckled as he was poured a cup of coffee, thanking the man who bowed before returning to his station. “Are you ready for our luncheon later today?”

Alex nodded as she took a sip of her coffee. “Yes, the notes Maria prepared were quite helpful in giving me an understanding of who they are.”

Her grandfather sighed, his expression becoming serious as he put his cup down. “I don’t mean to frighten you Alejandra, but this luncheon may end up involving the ministers trying to prove you’re unfit to rule.”

Alex hummed, gentle expression on her face. “I figured as much, Abu, after all normally not all of the Ministers attend your luncheon yet everyone RSVP’d for this.”

She reached her hand across the table to squeeze his, giving him a reassuring smile as she stated dryly, “I’m quite used to people underestimating me, Abu, it’s happened far too many times for me to count.”

“Believe me, I can handle myself.”

Nicolás let out a low chuckle, giving her a wide grin. “I look forward to it, my dear.”

Alex gave an answering grin just as wide. “So am I, Abu, so am I.”

* * *

 

“Your Highness,”

Alex gave the driver a warm smile as he opened the door for her before getting in: Mary got in the front with the driver while Deborah got in the back, sitting with Maria and Philomena across from Alex while Margaret sat next to Alex.

The nerves that Alex thought had vanished came back in full force as the car began driving, little voices whispering to her _“What do you think you’re doing? Do you think they’ll actually like you?”_

“Your Highness?”

Alex blinked, shaking her head and turning to see Margaret giving her a gentle smile. “You’ll do just fine.”

“I hope so,” Alex whispered as the centre came into view. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the crowds of people standing behind the crowd barriers.

Why were all these people here?

“According to Anna, your visit has been incredibly hyped,” Philomena explained cheerfully. “When Children’s Hope announced you were coming, social media basically blew up.”

Alex stared at her in disbelief. “Why?”

“Because,” Maria explained patiently. “While, yes, your nationality and the… _circumstances_ of your birth are questioned, at the same time it makes you relatable.”

“You weren’t raised in the royal lifestyle, you had to fight to make your way in the world and that’s something that the people find reassuring.”

The only response Alex had to that was “huh” as the car came to a stop.

“Your Highness,” Mary stated, bowing her head slightly as she opened the door.

Alex got out of the car and smiled as the flashes of the cameras went off, waving at the people behind the barriers.

“Crown Princess Alejandra!”

“Your Highness, over here!”

The yells pierced Alex’s ears as she made her way over to the crowd, shaking hands and saying hellos. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed a familiar girl standing with her mother.

“Marisol, wasn’t it?”

She asked as she approached them. The little girl’s eyes widened before she glanced up at her mother, who also seemed stunned.

“Y-Yes,” Marisol replied, shaking Alex’s hand.

Alex repeated the gesture with her mother. “I love the flowers you gave me, they’re in a vase on my desk.”

“Really?”

Alex laughed softly as the little girl’s face seemed to light up. “Is it scary? Moving to a new country I mean,”

Alex tilted her head, considering her answer carefully before she replied, “A little bit, but it’s also exciting.”

Marisol nodded and Alex gave her another smile, saying her goodbyes to both mother and daughter before she moved to greet the woman patiently waiting at the front of the centre.

“Your Highness, it is wonderful to have you here.”

Alex smiled warmly as she greeted Lucinda Torres, who was the head of the Children’s Hope charity. “It’s an honor to be here, Miss Torres, I’ve heard so many good things about the work you do.”

“You’re too kind,” Lucinda replied humbly as the two women posed for the cameras before entering the centre.

The first thing Alex noticed was how bright the centre was: a rainbow was painted on the wall behind the reception desk and through the glass doors she could see each individual room was a different color.

Alex greeted the staff of the centre with a smile and a handshake, listening intently as the staff explained the history of Children’s Hope.

“It was first created as the St. Isabella’s Orphanage in 1885,” Natalia Garcia said, leading Alex on a tour. “Thousands of babies found their home within the orphanage.”

Alex nodded, listening as she turned to see a group of children coloring at a table in a bright pink room. One of the children, a little girl around nine, looked up and gave her a smile.

“That’s Catalina,” Natalia explained with a soft smile. “She was just adopted a few months ago,”

“You help children in foster care, right?”

Alex asked, turning to face the woman. Natalia nodded. “Yes, we regularly hold events where children in foster care can meet prospective parents: it’s for both parties really, the parents can meet the children and get to know them and the children can do so as well.”

“That’s good,” Alex said softly, an unreadable expression on her face as she looked over her shoulder at Catalina. “Children in care often don’t get to make such choices.”

Natalia didn’t seem to know how to respond, so she just cleared her throat. “Let’s go meet them, shall we?”

Alex gave the woman a smile, following her as she opened the door and entered causing the children to look up with wide eyes.

“This is Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Alejandra,” Natalia explained and Alex felt little eyes turn to her. “Can you say hi to her?”

“Hello!”

The group chorused and Alex smiled. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you all.”

Alex found herself seated at the small table, nodding her head as she listened to the children tell her their names, ages and what they liked.

“What is it like being a princess?”

Catalina asked, looking at Alex expectantly. Alex smiled at her, coloring in the wing of a butterfly as she replied, “Well, it’s nothing like my old life, that’s for sure.”

This caused the children to giggle and Alex gave them a grin. “But it means I get to meet a lot of people, like you, and I get to hear their stories.”

“I also get the chance to help, which is something I’m looking forward to.”

She was able to stay for a few more minutes before the tour continued; Alex visited the therapy rooms, where children were able to participate in art and music therapy before she met some of the parents—both adoptive and foster—who had been assisted by Children’s Hope.

“It was hard, at first,” Laurel Santos, the adoptive mother of Catalina, admitted. “She was so quiet and so distant, we didn’t know what to do.”

Alex smiled sympathetically. “I imagine she was feeling very unsure when you constantly move around, it’s hard to let people in.”

Laurel blinked, hesitating for a moment before she asked. “Forgive me if this is presumptions, Your Highness, but you were…?”

She watched the princess’s expression flicker before she nodded. “I was in foster care from the time I was twelve until I turned eighteen.”

“Oh, I’m so—”

Alex shook her head, gently reaching out to take Laurel’s hand with a smile. “It’s fine, I made my peace long ago.”

“The past is behind me: I can only look forward now.”

* * *

 

“Your Highness, this is Valeria Moreno,”

Maria explained with a warm smile as she introduced the nervous sixteen-year old to the Nevisian princess, who shook the girl’s hand.

“It is wonderful to meet you,”

Alex replied. “I understand you are working on developing an app?”

Valeria nodded, looking excited as she explained, “Yes, the app will essentially be a place for teens to talk about their mental health with each other, help them get through it together.”

“That’s amazing,” Alex commented with a smile. “The app will certainly help many people.”

Valeria flushed, thanking her for her comment. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without the assistance of the Foundation, though,”

She admitted quietly, letting out a soft laugh. “The place I was in before I got involved with the Foundation…it wouldn’t have happened.”

Alex didn’t say anything, but gave her a smile that told Valeria she understood before she asked her about how school was going.

The sound of a throat clearing interrupted their conversation as Alex and Valeria turned to see the President of the Foundation Alberto Montilla approach them.

“Forgive me Valeria, but there is something I would like to show Her Highness, if I may steal her for a few minutes.”

“Of course, Mr. Montilla,” Valeria replied as she shook Alex’s hand. “It was wonderful to talk to you Your Highness.”

“It was nice to talk to you as well Valeria, I hope you do well on your math test,” Alex said as she gave the girl a hug before following Alberto.

They headed towards a wall where photos were hung and Alberto stopped in front of a particular photo, standing aside so Alex could see it better.

Curious, Alex moved closer and felt something rise in her chest when she saw two familiar figures standing side by side with a younger Alberto.

“This must have been taken in, I think, ’91?” Alberto suggested as he gave Alex a soft smile. “She was around Valeria’s age, I believe.”

Alex nodded, something wet pricking her eyes. “I was born in 1993 when she was eighteen, so that sounds about right.”

Nicolás stood there stoically, no traces of grey in his hair as he smiled for the camera. And next to him, with a shy smile and familiar curls framing her face, was her mother.

“She was very interested in what we did here,” Alberto commented. “She listened quite intently when speaking with the other teenagers, and she told me she wasn’t quite sure about her patronages, but that she’d like to help as much as she could.”

“She was a truly remarkable person.”

Alex swallowed. “Yes, she was, wasn’t she?”

She cleared her throat, putting on a smile as she turned to look at Alberto. “I believe there’s a plaque for me to reveal somewhere?”

Alberto chuckled, gesturing for her to go. “Yes, I suppose we should get that out of the way, as I understand you have a Mario Kart game to win?”

Alex’s response was a soft laugh as she followed the man, glancing over her shoulder one last time before she walked forward.

* * *

 

“Your Highness,”

“Minister Hutchinson,”

Alex greeted the Minister of Finance with a practised smile as he bowed his head to her before moving aside for the next person.

The Nevisian princess had been greeting government officials for the last few minutes now, and her face was starting to hurt from smiling so much.

She caught sight of her grandfather greeting Prime Minister de Gálvez and fought the urge to giggle when he manages to give her a subtle wink.

“How are you feeling?”

Nicolás asked his granddaughter as the greetings were finally finished and they were getting ready to enter.

“Like my face is going to be stuck permanently,” was Alex’s reply and Nicolás coughed to cover his chuckle. “Not worried about meeting the rest of the government?”

Alex gave him a bright grin. “Abu, I worked for President Washington; government officials don’t scare me.”

Nicolás had no reply to that, his mouth twitching in amusement before he smoothed it into a regal expression as they entered.

The King of Nevis had begun hosting these semi-monthly luncheons with his government shortly after he took the throne, stating it allowed him to get to know his government outside of official settings.

Given the informality of the luncheon, he thought it would be a good way for them to get to know his granddaughter.

Admittedly, he didn’t expect it to go _this_ way.

Alex listened quietly as the ministers talked about their families, interjecting every so often with a clarifying question.

Then she became the subject of conversation.

“So, how were your lessons?”

Minister Allen inquired, turning to Alex, who blinked for a few minutes before replying, “They were wonderful, very informative.”

Minister Hutchinson chose to join the conversation. “I assume you learned about the Civil War of 1785?”

Alex narrowed her eyes, picking up on the suggestion in his tone. “Yes, it was due to the high taxes imposed on the peasantry.”

“And what about Duchesa María de Vilanna?”

Another minister asked, causing Alex to calmly turn her head and respond, “she was a woman of the nobility who was the mistress of King José I, believed to have immense influence on the king and, while not historically proven, is said to have convinced him to murder her husband.”

The questions continued, the Ministers asking very specific questions about Nevisian history that even those born and raised in Nevis wouldn’t be able to answer.

You didn’t have to be a genius to realize they were testing her, trying to prove that her inadequate knowledge of Nevis made her unfit to be the future Queen.

Nicolás unconsciously clenched his hands into fists, when he glanced over at Andre, he saw the man had a displeased expression.

Alex, however, was unfazed as she answered every question thrown at her; there was even a moment where she corrected something Minister Allen said.

“Actually, I believe it was King Felipe the _Second_ who was involved in the border disputes, not King Felipe the Third.”

Nicolás watched in amusement as the man turned purple before redirecting his attention to his food while the other government officials looked at Alex with something akin to awe.

“It’s a common mistake that even people who grew up knowing out history make,” de Gálvez remarked, grinning slightly. “I’m impressed you were able to remember that just from a few lessons.”

Alex flushed. “It wasn’t that hard.”

Nicolás couldn’t but swell with pride as he watched de Gálvez engage Alex in a discussion about the policies about Queen Isabel in regards to foreign affairs, a discussion that Minister Gage and later Minister of Economy and Business Grace Galloway joined in.

“Her policies were really ahead of her time,” Alex commented, watching Minister Galloway nod her head in agreement. “She was willing to have trade that was beneficial to both parties instead of just her…”

It was a small victory that Alex had won, but she had stood her own ground and Nicolás knew there would be more people who would doubt her.

He watched her engage in discussion with the rest of his ministers, and he swore he could already see the queen she would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, I've actually had this finished for a while, but I went on vacation and didn't have time to edit it which I really needed to so yeah.
> 
> Also, a warning: I apologize if any of this seems boring, but a very real part of a royal's duties include attending various engagements for both charities and (if they're the heir, like Alex is) items relating to governance and I really wanted to include this so expect more of this in the future.
> 
> Not to say there won't be fun princess stuff, there will, but it won't be a lot. 
> 
> Also, I may have mentioned this before, but I do have a tumblr MissWriteress so if you want to chat or ask questions, feel free to stop by; you can find the link in my profile.
> 
> Next chapter will include Alex going out in Castello and learning to ride a horse.


	10. A Very Stable Outing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex goes out in Castello and meets some familiar faces. Later she learns how to ride a horse who has quite a bit of character.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks at chapter title* I apologize and accept any flames you may want to send me.

Nicolás looked up and smiled when he saw his granddaughter enter the room. “Alejandra, how nice of you to finally join me.”

Alex chuckled at the joking tone in her grandfather’s voice as she walked over to kiss him on the cheek. “My apologies, Abu, I was going over my schedule for today with Maria.”

Nicolás chuckled, watching his granddaughter take a seat and began pouring herself a cup of coffee. “So, I know you plan to pay a visit to the National Museum as well as a meeting with the Director of the American-Nevisian Foundation,”

Alex nodded, raising an eyebrow in question. “But, since we have time, I would like to start horse-riding lessons for you, since several of our national events will require you to do so,”

Nicolás frowned when he saw Alex suddenly go still. “My dear, are you alright?”

“It’s just…” Alex bit her lip, glancing down at her plate as she admitted quietly, “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

She looked up to see her grandfather’s eyes widen. “Oh, well, I was under the impression since you worked for Washington and I know he’s an equestrian…”

Alex debated whether or not to inform her grandfather that while, yes, Washington had offered to teach her she had always declined partly because she had always been slightly afraid of horses after one incident when she was thirteen and partly because she didn’t want to deal with any possible rumors if word got out Washington had taught his then-twenty one year old aide to ride.

Of course, nothing illicit would have happened during the lessons, but god knows the media would turn it into something.

Instead, she stated what was partly the truth. “I was just never interested.”

“I see,” Nicolás nodded. “Well, then I suppose the lessons will have to be more basic than I initially expected.”

“Alright,” Alex said, smiling weakly as she internally panicked over the possibility of looking like a fool.

“On another note, since your first engagement isn’t until the afternoon, I was wondering if you might want to see Castello?”

The cup she was bringing up to drink paused as she blinked at her grandfather, wondering if he was psychic. “I was actually thinking about exploring the city.”

“Ah, so I’m starting to read your mind!” Alex giggled at the jovial tone in her grandfather’s voice. “Lady Shippen and Miss Cheer have graciously offered to be your guides, with Major Andre coming along to support.”

“Did they offer, Abu,” Alex began in a suspicious tone. “Or did you order them to?”

Nicolás chuckled. “No, no when I brought up the idea, they immediately jumped at the chance to show you around.”

He watched a smile form on her face. “Then how could I refuse?”

* * *

Margaret and Philomena had been waiting for her as soon as she had left her grandfather and gone to get dressed, choosing a white blouse with a notch collar and black piping that she paired with blue jeans and a pair of black flats with a buckle.

Due to the casual nature of her outing, she chose to pull her hair up into a ponytail that fell over her left shoulder. The instant they stepped outside Alex had to admit: Castello was an absolutely gorgeous city.

The city was a mix between modern and historical, with paved stone streets and old-fashioned light posts that were lined with old brick buildings and tall skyscrapers.

Her two guides were also quite fun, their differing personalities lending to an interesting dynamic.

“Oh, there’s _Encantadora_ ,” Philomena exclaimed, pointing at a modern looking boutique. “Their dresses are to die for!”

“Not literally, of course,” Margaret replied dryly, smirking as Philomena turned to give her a look while Alex stifled the urge to giggle. “On the subject of death, around that corner is the site of the Red September Revolution in 1787, where over two hundred people died.”

Philomena let out a sigh as Alex turned her head to get a look. “Why must you be so disturbing Margaret?”

“I simply thought, Philomena, that Her Highness would like to learn the history of the city,” Margaret replied. Alex stifled the giggle that threatened to escape when she saw Philomena giving her a look. “It’s much more interesting than clothes, I imagine.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Alex interjected at this point, thinking that Philomena looked ready to hit Margaret. “I heard there was a café you two really liked?”

“Right this way, Your Highness,”

Alex followed her guides faithfully, she glanced behind her to see Mary and Robert—both dressed in plain clothes—quietly keeping up with them along with Major Andre.

After briefly getting lost (“You were supposed to take a right Philomena!”) they arrived at a tiny café cut out of a brick building

Philomena entered first and was almost immediately knocked over by a tiny blur running into her. “Really Mari, you just saw me a few weeks ago.”

Alex’s eyes widened in shock when she saw the same little girl she had met previously grinning up at Philomena and began bouncing up and down.

“But I have sooo much to tell you, Mena, like how I met the Crown Princess!”

“Did you?”

Philomena asked as she looked up, smirking a bit when she saw Alex starting to flush. “What was she like?”

“She was really kind and pretty—oh, she remembered my name and said she put the flowers I gave her in a vase on her desk!”

Marisol’s eyes wandered over to where a pink-cheeked Alex was standing and she let out a squeak just as an older woman came out of the back, a warm smile on her face. “Mena, how nice to see you—”

She froze, her eyes wide when she saw Alex, who recognized her as Marisol’s mother.

“Mama, look, it’s the Crown Princess!”

Marisol exclaimed, running over to her mother and clinging to her dress. To the woman’s credit, she managed to remain upright, though she looked a little shaky.

“Y-Your Highness, this is a surprise,” The woman stammered, turning to glare at Philomena. “We were not informed you would be coming.”

“It was a last-minute thing Clara,” Philomena replied, causing the woman to sigh heavily.

“My apologies if I have inconvenienced you in any way,” Alex stated. Clara shook her head, a warm smile on her face as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s alright, Your Highness, what can I get you?”

Opening her mouth to respond, Alex paused and turned to Philomena. “Why don’t you order for me? You’ve been here before, so you probably know what’s good?”

Philomena blinked before a grin formed on her face. “Don’t worry Princess, you’ll love it.”

Margaret couldn’t help but mutter, “Famous last words,” causing Alex to chuckle.

Alex took a seat while Philomena and Margaret went up to order. Hearing the chair beside her being pulled out she turned to see André sitting next to her.

“Aren’t you going to order Major?”

André smiled, shaking his head as he gestured to where Margaret was talking to Clara. “Lady Shippen knows what I like.”

“Does she?”

He couldn’t help but shift nervously when he saw the amused look on her face, unable to help the feeling that the Crown Princess was seeing right through him. Immediately he decided to change the subject.

“I assume Miss Strong informed you that you have had requests for interviews?”

The amused expression on her face switched to a more serious one as she nodded. “Yes, I believe a total of seven magazines and three shows have asked to interview me?”

She watched him nod. “It was something we were expecting: after all, no one even knew you existed so their desire to get to know you is understandable.”

“I’m sensing a but,”

André cleared his throat. “However, we know that a few of the magazines and talk shows have certain members of the nobility as big donors…”

“And it would be in their best interests to make me look bad,” Alex remarked dryly. André chuckled, a smile forming on his lips.

“It would, which is why we’re being selective of the options we are giving you,” André paused and hurried to say, “I’m not implying in any way that you’re not capable of making a good choice Your Highness—”

Alex stopped him by raising her hand, a soft expression on her face. “I understand Major, you have more knowledge about their backgrounds than I would, it’s better for you to go through them first.”

She didn’t miss the relieved look on his face, though it quickly disappeared as Margaret and Philomena came back with their food and drinks. Marisol was trailing behind them and Alex couldn’t help but smile when she saw the girl was practically bouncing in place.

“Is there something you would like Marisol?” Alex asked in a gentle tone. Marisol flushed but steeled her expression into one of determination. “What was it like working for the President?”

Alex hummed, looking as if she was thinking intently. “It could be stressful at times, there were lots of long hours and sometimes there would be days I would stay overtime because there was so much to do,”

“But,” she continued, her expression reminiscent. “It was rewarding, especially because I worked with a lot of great people.”

There was no need for Marisol to know that, for every great person Alex worked with, there were at least three who seemed determined to inform her that she was too unqualified for her position. Quite frankly, Alex tended to forget those people very quickly.

“But isn’t the President intimidating?” Marisol asked, her eyes wide. “He always seems so stern…”

Alex let out a soft chuckle, her eyes twinkling as she gestured for the girl to lean in closer. “I’ll let you in on a little secret: he’s the biggest softie you’ll ever meet,”

Marisol let out a little giggle, watching as Alex put her finger to her lips. “But don’t tell anyone, he has a reputation to uphold, okay?”

It was hard to resist the urge to smile when she saw the girl nod her head enthusiastically before miming zipping her lips. She turned her head and saw André quirking an eyebrow at her.

“Somehow, I imagine President Washington wouldn’t be pleased if he heard you call him a softie,”

Alex shrugged, waving her hand dismissably as she took a bite of her food, her mouth watering at the smell. “I could have told the story about him and the peacock.”

She smirked as she brought her coffee up to drink when she saw André nearly choke while he took a sip, a soft grin on his face as he remarked dryly. “Somehow, I can’t imagine the White House was ever boring with you around Your Highness.”

 “No, I don’t think it was.”

Alex agreed as she put her cup down, smiling at something Philomena said to her. Andre made a mental note to also look into the political views of the tv shows and magazines to see if they might oppose Washington’s politics and try to bring that into the interview as well.

Alex deserved that much, at least.

* * *

 

“Now, Your Highness, these horses are great for beginners…”

Alex nodded, trying not to let her nervousness show as she slowly approached the stall where a black stallion was feasting on some hay. She held out her hand and waited until she got the okay before she petted him on his muzzle.

“This is Onyx,” the stablemaster explained as he came to stand beside her. “He’s very calm, and would be perfect for your first lesson.”

Alex nodded as she continued petting Onyx. She admitted he was quite handsome, but she wasn’t quite sure he was _her_ horse.

She continued walking down the stable, meeting the other horses until she stopped in front of a certain stall. In it was a grey horse who seemed to be eying her with a suspicious look.

“What’s this one’s name?”

The stablemaster looked worried. “Her name is Storm, Your Highness, but I’m afraid she can be a bit temperamental and she has been a bit uneasy with people so I wouldn’t…”

He trailed off, watching with disbelief as Storm slowly came to the front of the stall and sniffed Alex’s outstretched hand before nuzzling it.

“You’re just cautious, aren’t you?” Alex mused quietly with a smile as she petted her muzzle. “I can understand that, sometimes people can be horrible and you just need to be away from them.”

She turned to face the stunned stablemaster, her smile becoming brighter as she said, “I think I’ll choose this one.”

“I believe that’s a perfect fit Alejandra,”

Nicolás said, amused as he made his way over to his granddaughter. The king had to admit he was concerned when he first saw her approaching Storm, knowing the mare could be a handful, but he was pleasantly surprised by how she responded to Alex.

“It’s quite funny, really, that you would choose this mare of all the horses,” catching her confused look Nicolás elaborated. “Her mother was Lady, who happened to be the mare your mother rode and _her_ mother Beauty was the horse your grandmother rode.”

“Oh,” Alex replied quietly, staring at Storm with an unreadable expression. “So, you come from a royal lineage, huh…?”

Storm let out a neigh in response and Alex gave him a soft smile. “I guess that’s something we have in common then.”

She heard someone’s throat being cleared and turned to see the stablemaster looking at her expectantly. “Perhaps you would like to start getting Storm ready?”

Feeling a lump form in her throat Alex nodded, listening intently as the stablemaster explained how to properly put a saddle on Storm and attach the halter. Storm started to become a little restless when Alex tried to put the halter on but she was able to quickly calm her down.

The stablemaster instructed Alex to lead Storm out to an area where they could have their lessons safely.

“Alright, now you’re going to learn how to mount Storm, Your Highness,” the stablemaster explained as Alex stood on the left of Storm.

He walked over and carefully put a steady hand on Storm so she wouldn’t move while Alex was getting on her. “Put your left foot in the stirrup,”

Alex nodded, doing as she was told. “Now make sure you’re holding the reins in your left hand and shift your weight onto your mounting foot, then swing your other leg over.”

Nicolás watched with slight worry as Alex slowly followed the stablemaster’s instructions, slowly sitting down in the saddle.

Alex took the reins in both hands and carefully adjusted her position, looking over at the stablemaster with a nervous smile. “Was that okay?”

“You did perfectly Your Highness,” the stablemaster reassured her as he stepped back. “Perhaps you would like to try walking Storm now.”

Knowing that there was no point in putting it off, Alex took a deep breath and gently squeezed Storm’s sides with her legs after the stablemaster instructed her to.

She hurried to keep her balance when Storm began moving, her body held tensely until she was asked to relax which she managed to do.

After Storm had walked around in a circle a few times Alex couldn’t help the smile that formed on her face as she looked over her shoulder and asked the stablemaster, “Could I try trotting now?”

The stablemaster looked over at Nicolás, who smiled and nodded. “Of course, Your Highness, gently squeeze Storm’s sides with your legs…”

Alex did as she was asked and couldn’t help but laugh in surprise when Storm picked up speed. She grinned and looked over at Nicolás who was imitating the gesture.

“Make sure to stay balanced Alejandra!”

Nicolás called out, watching as Alex nodded and adjusted her position. The stablemaster kept bopping his head, a small smile on his face.

“Perfect Your Highness!” He said with a chuckle. “Would you like to try cantering now?”

Alex glanced down at Storm with a soft smile. “What do you think girl?”

Storm let out a loud neigh in response and Alex laughed, turning to give the stablemaster a bright smile. “Let’s try it.”

“First, you want to sit back in your saddle Your Highness,” the stablemaster instructed, waiting until Alex had done as she was asked before continuing. “Make sure your body is in a neutral position and keep your legs loose and relaxed.”

“I think you know how to start the canter.”

Alex nodded, taking a deep breath before squeezing Storm’s sides. Her breath left her in a whoosh as Storm went off, running around the loop of the enclosure. The wind blew through her hair as she listened to the stablemaster instruct her to let her body move with the horse.

“She’s already cantering?”

The question made Nicolás turn to see Andre approaching him. He chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at his granddaughter. “Yes, she’s doing quite well for a beginner.”

“We’ve narrowed down the choices for her first interview,” Andre said, folding his hands behind his back as Nicolás nodded. “When she’s done, she can go through them.”

“You’ve checked them all out?” Nicolás questioned. “Thoroughly?”

Andre nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty, none of the magazines or shows we picked have any connection to the nobility or have any problems with Washington’s politics.”

“That’s good,” he turned to look at Alex smiling brightly as she did another loop. He couldn’t help but grin when she turned her smile on him.

“She deserves a fair chance to show who she really is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a lot really happened in this chapter, but it was really just showing Alex starting to bond with the citizens.
> 
> Next chapter will have Alex's first interview told through the eyes of the White House staff.


	11. Good Morning Nevis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex goes on live television for an interview and finds herself facing uncomfortable questions while the White House Staff watches.
> 
> Featuring two assholes both named Thomas (not the one you're thinking of), Alex not taking anyone's shit and Washington and Alex having a touching moment despite being on separate continents.

“You know Angelica, staring at the clock isn’t going to make the time go faster,”

Washington couldn’t help but chuckle at the glare his Chief of Staff shot Laurens, though he could understand why she was so anxious. He was anxious as well, after all.

The news had been filled with nothing but stories about Nevis’s new Crown Princess, to them, it was something straight out of a movie: a woman discovers she’s not just royalty, but the heir to an entire country?

The media was eating it up and when you added the fact that said woman was also the former aide to the President, the interest people had in her was only increased, which of course meant there were a lot of people criticizing her as well.

The entire West Wing had to turn off the TV to avoid smashing it when Thomas Paine—who had never been a friend to him—appeared on his talk show with a Nevisian talk host, his million-watt smile making the room nauseated.

_“I’m generally concerned for the future of your country Miss Wheatley,”_ Paine had said in a simpering voice. _“Your country has such a rich history and its monarchy has remained so strong, I can’t imagine how it will fare when Crown Princess Alejandra takes the throne?”_

To her credit, Phyllis Wheatley didn’t seem to buy what he was saying. _“It’s my understanding that she majored in politics and economics if I remember correctly.”_

Paine had flushed. “ _Yes, but—”_

Phyllis had cut in, her gaze was sharp as she stared at the man. “ _She also had a hand in advising President Washington on policies, as well as wrote his speeches, that is correct yes?”_

Paine had opened his mouth weakly to respond but Phyllis was apparently done with them. _“It’s my opinion—just my opinion, mind you, I can’t speak for everyone—that Nevis will only flourish when Alejandra takes the throne; she’s already proven herself to be quite involved with various charities and I can only imagine what she’ll go on to do.”_

_“But what about her illegitimacy?”_ Paine had blurted out, seeming to regain his composure. _“Surely the fact that she was born out of wedlock casts doubt upon her character—?”_

“Alright, that’s enough,” Angelica had said as she quickly shut off the tv when she saw the expressions appearing on her fellow staff’s faces. Except for Burr, of course, though she later swore she saw slight irritation on his face.

“You can’t call me out Laurens when I saw you doing the _exact same thing_ a few minutes ago,”

Washington was brought out of his memories and sighed when he saw the death glares his chief of staff and speechwriter were exchanging. “When does Alex’s interview start?”

Angelica broke away from her staring contest to glance at the clock. “I believe it starts in ten minutes.”

“Then perhaps you and Laurens might want to stop your staring contest so we can actually go watch.”

The group headed into the main offices, Angelica and Laurens making a beeline for the couch while Burr and Lafayette decided to stand. Washington took the chair, his Secret Service agents on either side of him.

Lafayette began looking through the TV channel guide, trying to find the one with the show Alex’s interview was on. Tapping her feet impatiently Angelica finally let out a low growl and grabbed the remote from him, ignoring his glare as she quickly scrolled through and found the channel.

She switched to it just as Phyllis Wheatley appeared on the screen, a smile on her face as she waved from the chair she was sitting in. _“Good morning Nevis, it’s me Phyllis and today we have two special guests for you: not only will Crown Princess Alejandra will be joining me but a good friend of mine Thomas Conway will be coming on as a co-host!”_

_“Why don’t we bring them out? First my co-host for today Thomas Conway!”_

Cheers erupted and Washington watched a man with perfectly coiffed hair walked out onto the stage, shaking Phyllis’s hand and kissing her on the cheek before taking his seat.

_“It’s good to have you here Thomas,”_

Conway nodded, his grin practically radiating through the TV screen. _“It’s good to be here Phyllis, what do you say we bring in our other guest?”_

_“I think that sounds like a good idea,”_ Phyllis turned to face the camera. _“Everyone, let’s welcome Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Alejandra!”_

The cheers were much louder than those for Conway and Washington’s breath caught when Alex shyly made her way onto the stage, waving at the audience with a soft smile.

Dressed in a belted blue dress with black strappy heels and her hair pulled back in a half-updo with two strands framing her face, she looked stunning as she shook hands with Phyllis and Conway before taking her seat.

_“It’s wonderful to be able to have you on my show Your Highness,”_ Phyllis stated and Alex let out a soft laugh that was familiar to Washington.

_“Please Miss Wheatley, it’s an honor to be invited,”_ Phyllis gave the princess a grateful smile before clearing her throat, placing her notepad on her lap. _“I suppose the first question I want to ask is probably one you’ve heard before but…”_

_“If it’s a question I’ve heard before, that just means more people want to know the answer and I must not have answered it well the first time,”_ Alex replied, causing both hosts to laugh as Alex sheepishly smiled.

_“In any case, my question is: how shocked were you when you heard the news your mother was a princess?”_

_“Very shocked, of course,”_ Alex replied, crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair. _“It’s not something I even entertained as a possibility,”_

_“Didn’t you ever wonder about your mother’s family?”_ Conway leaned forward. _“Surely, your mother must have mentioned them at one point?”_

Alex shook her head, clasping her hands together. _“I remember quite clearly when I was in the fifth grade or so, we were given a project involving our family tree,”_

Washington could see Alex’s expression shift as she let out a soft huff. _“Obviously, I knew I couldn’t really answer anything about my father’s side but when I got home, I asked my mother about her family,”_

_“I asked her about my grandparents if I had aunts or uncles or cousins,”_ Alex took a deep breath. _“She just looked at me with the saddest expression I had ever seen her have and said ‘My dear Alejandra, that is the past and should stay in the past’.”_

She smiled weakly. _“I never asked her about her family again,”_

Phyllis gave her a sympathetic expression that quickly turned to irritation when Conway began speaking again, _“Do you think you would have had a better life if you had known your father?”_

_“I’m sorry?”_ While her tone was polite to the ears Washington watched Alex’s body tense up and her eyes narrow.

_“I mean, it must have been hard to just have your mother raise you,”_ Conway pasted on a sympathetic smile that felt false to Washington if the expressions on their faces were any indication his staff agreed.

_“Plenty of children are raised by single mothers,”_ Alex pointed out dryly. _“And considering my father took off as soon as he found out my mother was pregnant, I think I was lucky not to have him around,”_

_“Did you ever wonder?”_ Phyllis asked, cutting in before Conway could continue. _“About who he was?”_

Washington watched Alex let out a soft sigh, a smile crossing her face as she replied, _“Sometimes when kids asked me about why I didn’t have a father,”_

She let out a laugh that sounded sad to Washington and he felt his heart hurt at the sad expression on her face. _“I think at some point I just stopped wondering, maybe when my mother died and he never tried to claim me or when I became an adult and what was left of my childhood dreams died with me,”_

_“I suppose the best way to put it is he became just a ghost that I couldn’t really prove ever existed,”_

Phyllis cleared her throat, giving Alex a gentle smile. _“Well, even with your early struggles, I think it’s safe to say you accomplished quite a lot, considering you began working for President Washington at just twenty years old,”_

Washington watched Alex let out a laugh, her eyes twinkling. _“Yes, I suppose that can be considered quite an amazing accomplishment,”_

_“What was it like, working for a politician?”_ Phyllis asked, leaning forward with an eager smile. _“You were in your last year of university and about to go into your master’s program when you got hired, correct?”_

_“Yes, that’s right,”_ Alex replied and Phyllis raised her hands in an exaggerated manner, her eyes wide. _“How did you balance your school and such a career? You must have been stressed.”_

“That’s a bit of an understatement,” Angelica muttered under her breath and Washington stifled a laugh, recalling the various times Alex had been caught studying while at work for various exams she had.

_“I was definitely stressed, a lot,”_ Alex admitted. _“It got to the point where I had actually begun taking my textbooks to work with me and studying whenever I had a free moment,”_

_“How did President Washington react to that?”_ Conway asked and Washington couldn’t help but dislike the man _extremely,_ for reasons he wasn’t quite sure about. _“He must have been mad,”_

Washington watched Alex shake her head, a soft smile appearing on her face. _“No, actually, when he learned why I was bringing my textbooks with me he had my schedule rearranged so I still had enough hours, but I also had time to study,”_

_“How very understanding of him,”_ Conway said in a disappointed tone. _“How exactly do you think you got such a position?”_

“What is he trying to say?” Washington asked, sounding genuinely confused. He didn’t see the looks his staff were exchanging with each other.

Alex, however, didn’t seem to be confused about what he was getting at if her suddenly cold tone was any indication. _“I got the position by proving to Washington that I was a hard worker.”_

_“You met Washington at a party hosted by Senator Schuyler, correct?”_ At Alex’s curt nod Conway continued, a grin forming on his face. _“It would be safe for me to assume, then, that you were dressed up,”_

_“I suppose that would make sense, yes,”_ Alex replied, her tone apprehensive and Washington had the horrific realization of what Conway was trying to imply and unconsciously clenched his fists.

_“You are an attractive woman Your Highness, and from the pictures, I saw at your introduction and the welcome back gala, you look even more stunning when dressed up,”_

_“With all due respect, Mr. Conway,”_ Alex cut in, her eyes sharp as she stared at him. _“Please get to your point.”_

_“Do you think you got the position because President Washington wanted to sleep with you?”_

A silence fell over the room as everyone apprehensively turned to look at Washington. His expression made Angelica shiver, the last time he had such a cold look on his face was when Charles Lee—during one of his interviews with Washington—had made overt advances at Alex.

Now that she thought about it, that was the _last_ interview Lee ever did with Washington.

Phyllis’s expression was one of shock and anger as she quickly turned to Alex, _“You don’t have to answer that Your Highness…!”_

But Alex raised a hand, her brown eyes dark as she stared at Conway who was still smiling smugly. _“It’s alright, Miss Wheatley,”_

_“First, I should clarify that of course, I can’t claim to know what Washington was thinking that night,”_ She clasped her hands together and placed them on her lap, her gaze piercing Conway who began to fidget. _“But I can say that President Washington is not the type of person to hire someone who is not already qualified for the position, he prefers hard-work and dedication,”_

Angelica glanced at Washington as Alex said this and found the President had a smile blooming on his face.

_“Second,”_ Alex raised a finger as Conway began to turn white. _“I have to wonder why you asked me that question, is it because you think the only way a twenty-year old woman would get such a position is because of sex rather than her intelligence?”_

Phyllis choked out a laugh at the expression on Conway’s face as Alex continued. _“I did not get the position because I slept with someone, I got it by showing my dedication and determination.”_

_“That is why I think Washington gave me the position.”_

To his credit Conway did not speak again as Phyllis continued the interview, asking Alex about the charities she supported but Washington shut the TV off, feeling he had heard enough.

He turned to his staff who had resigned expressions on their faces when he demanded, “Where the _hell_ would Conway get such ideas about me and Alex?”

“I imagine he must have heard some of the rumors,” Burr admitted and winced when he saw Washington turn red.

“What rumors?” When no answer was forthcoming Washington repeated himself in a harsher tone, “ _What_ rumors?”

“Sir you know that many people questioned your decision to hire Alex,” Lafayette pointed out. “And, well, given your bachelor status, many assumed—”

“—that I hired her to get her in my bed?” Washington asked, his tone aghast. At Lafayette’s sharp nod he began pacing. “Is that what people think of me, that I’m someone who sleeps with my employees?”

He stopped, his posture stiffening as he turned to Lafayette and quietly asked, “Do they assume that Alex is the type of person who would sleep with her boss?”

Somehow _that_ was what pissed him off, not the idea that people thought he would sleep with someone who worked under him—he had heard _much_ worse than that, such was the nature of politics—but that they would assume that of _Alex_.

Not only that, but the rumors around such a thing were so prevalent that a TV show host _halfway across the world_ had heard these rumors and decided to confront Alex about it on national television in a blatant attempt to discredit her.

He clenched his hands, his blood boiling at how Alex had been all but ambushed and forced to defend herself from such baseless accusations.

“How many people believe these rumors?”

“Sir?” Angelica asked hesitantly when he turned to face her, asking in a lower tone, “How many people talk about this?”

A look passed between the chief of staff and press secretary before Burr cleared his throat. “Mostly it’s Republicans who spread it around, and perhaps a few tabloid reporters, though they would never publish such a thing,”

Silence, then a bark of disbelieving laughter as Washington ran a hand down his face. “So, let me get this straight: my entire staff, apparently, has known about rumors of me _supposedly_ having an illicit relationship with my aide and they didn’t deign it important to _tell me?”_

“Sir, it wasn’t our decision not to tell you—”

“Then whose was it?” Washington asked, looking at Lafayette intensely who didn’t back down from his glare as he replied simply, “It was Alex.”

He watched Washington blink and try to process this answer as he asked, “Alex didn’t want you to tell me?”

A nod. “Alex knew about these rumors?”

“She was the one who came to us about them, sir,” Angelica replied, folding her hands behind her back. “She thought it was best we knew.”

She could see the President grapple with the fact that Alex had hidden the information from him and she supposed she could understand his confusion: Alex was almost always honest to a fault, especially when it came to Washington.

 “She knew if you found out about the rumors, you would want to deny them,” Angelica raised a hand when Washington opened his mouth to retort. “And she didn’t want you to do that because she knew it would only add fuel to the fire,”

“She knew you would do it to protect her, sir, and that’s why she didn’t tell her.”

Washington opened his mouth to try and say something, but he found he couldn’t because what Angelica had described exactly what he wanted to do, which was go to the nearest reporter and viciously refute everything about the ridiculous rumor.

_Of course, she would know me better than I know myself_

He let out a loud huff, letting out a soft chuckle as he let his hand drop to his side. “Is anyone giving credence to the rumor?”

Burr shook his head, already having his tablet out. “Most of them are questioning why Conway so blatantly attacked Hamilton—especially when you consider he was only a _guest_ co-host,”

“Yes,” Washington frowned. “It is rather odd,”

“He was probably hoping to get some attention,” Angelica yawned, stretching her arms over her head. “Well, as fun as this was, I have a nice warm bed waiting for me,”

The others said their goodbyes and began filtering out until only Washington and his Secret Service agents were left. He nodded to them as he exited the room, hearing their familiar footsteps following him while he headed to the Presidential Bedroom.

“Good night Tallmadge, Brewster,” he said with a smile before entering the bedroom, waiting until the door was closed before he let out a heavy sigh.

He began to undo his tie, kicking off his shoes and removing his socks before he paused. Reaching into his trouser pocket he pulled out his cellphone and began scrolling through his contact list until he found a familiar number.

A frown formed on his face as he hesitated, staring at the device for a few minutes before he finally typed in the number and held it up to his ear, the dial tone ringing in his ear.

* * *

 

Alex let out a satisfied hum as she exited the bath, feeling refreshed and cleansed from the bad feelings she had carried throughout her day.

A frown crossed her face as she dried herself, resisting the urge to grit her teeth when she remembered Conway’s grinning face as he all but accused her of having sex with Washington.

Shock had gone through her body, having not expected to hear the familiar rumors in Nevis, before anger she had to restrain overtook her.

Conway was very lucky she couldn’t punch him on TV, otherwise, he would be lying in a pool of his own blood.

She shook her head to erase those thoughts, letting out a sigh as she put on her robe and exited the bathroom. A familiar ring drew her eyes to her bedside table where her phone was nearly vibrating off it.

Walking over she picked it up and let out a soft exhale when she saw a number that she had practically memorized but hadn’t seen in at least a month. She bit her lip, her thumb hovering awkwardly over the answer button before she decided _screw it_ and pressed it, bringing it up to her ear.

“Mr. President, this is a surprise,”

Silence, and then a familiar low laugh rumbled in her ears. _“I believe I told you to call me George when in non-professional settings, Your Highness,”_

Alex felt the tips of her ears turn red as she sat down on her bed. “Then you should be calling me Alex, shouldn’t you George?”

_“My apologies, Alex,”_ There was a beat before a heavy sigh sounded on the other line. _“I watched your interview,”_

Alex let out a sharp inhale, her eyes widening as she heard herself squeak, “You did?”

Her mind whirled, not only thinking about the rumors—which she had tried to keep from Washington for three years, god _damn it_ —but what she had revealed about her childhood.

_“Yes,”_ She heard his tone become stern. _“Why didn’t you tell me Alex?”_

Alex sucked in a deep breath, shutting her eyes. “With all due respect George, you didn’t need to know about them,”

_“I didn’t need to know about them?”_ She heard the sharp note in his voice. _“I didn’t need to know that people were spreading rumors about me sleeping with my top aide?”_

“There were only ever just that, rumors,” Alex fiddled with her phone, wrapping her other arm around her stomach. “They were never mainstream, never something talked about in the popular media, it was only vile spread by your opponents,”

“You know the instant I thought they were becoming more, I _would_ have told you,”

Silence answered her and she heard faint rustling before Washington came back on the line, sounding tired, “ _I’m sorry Alex, but I didn’t like that I was blindsided by you being ambushed on national television,”_

Alex let out a soft laugh, unable to help the smile spreading across her face. “I appreciate your concern George, but I don’t need your protection,”

_“The same goes for me Alex, I understand you protecting me while you were my employee, but now I’m your friend and I want to know if something is happening with you, alright?”_

A feeling Alex couldn’t describe formed in her chest, leaving her body warm and fuzzy all over as she let out a soft exhale. “You have to return the favor then, alright? It can’t be politics, obviously, but anything else you can call me,”

She heard him laugh. _“That sounds like a fair deal,”_

Alex glanced at the clock next to her bed. “It’s late now, I should probably go to bed,”

_“I should as well, though the President never really sleeps,”_ That got a giggle out of her. _“Goodnight, Alex,”_

“Goodnight George,” Alex replied softly before ending the call, staring at it for a few minutes with a soft smile on her face.

She then put her phone on the nightstand and went to change into her pajamas, knowing it would be another day of engagements tomorrow.

But after taking on Conway, she felt like she could handle anything that was thrown at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An alternate title for this chapter could be Alex Resists The Urge to Punch A Host on Live TV
> 
> A question for you guys: do you like this format with me showing both Washington and Alex's perspectives? It's not something I'm sure I could do all the time, but maybe I could do it a bit more (at least while the two are separate)
> 
> Next chapter features Alex getting glammed up to go to a charity gala and we run into some characters.


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